UK Sport

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. They are necessary for our website to function and cannot be switched off.
These cookies gather information to understand how visitors interact with the website, such as how many people are using our website of which pages are popular to help us improve user experience. Switching off these cookies will mean that we cannot gather information to improve the user experience.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by a third party provider whose services we have added to our website. Switching off these cookies mean that areas of our website cannot work properly.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site.

For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy.

Skip navigation
the national lottery
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram LinkedIn
  • About us
    • Our Directors Team
    • Our Board
    • Panels
    • Strategic Plan 2021-31
    • Our partners
    • English Institute of Sport
    • Accessibility
    • Contact us
    • Media centre
    • FAQs
    • Working at UK Sport
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Talent identification
    • Coaching
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Leadership, development & governance
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • Canoeing
    • Curling
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • Para-Rowing
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Annual reports
    • Board minutes
    • British Cycling independent review
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • High Performance System Advisory Group
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports
    • Privacy policies
    • Publication Scheme
    • Recruitment framework
    • The Whyte Review
    • Tenders
    • Transparency and open data
    • Welsh language scheme
  • Jobs in sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Jobs in sport
    • Submit a job
  • About us
    • Our Directors Team
    • Our Board
    • Panels
    • Strategic Plan 2021-31
    • Our partners
    • English Institute of Sport
    • Accessibility
    • Contact us
    • Media centre
    • FAQs
    • Working at UK Sport
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Talent identification
    • Coaching
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Leadership, development & governance
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • Canoeing
    • Curling
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • Para-Rowing
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Annual reports
    • Board minutes
    • British Cycling independent review
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • High Performance System Advisory Group
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports
    • Privacy policies
    • Publication Scheme
    • Recruitment framework
    • The Whyte Review
    • Tenders
    • Transparency and open data
    • Welsh language scheme
  • Jobs in sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Jobs in sport
    • Submit a job
Press Enter to Search
News

Sir Philip Craven: International Inspiration programme is changing the world

Published 14 May 2010

I am currently in Azerbaijan seeing the impact of London 2012's International Inspiration programme and have witnessed firsthand the power of sport in changing attitudes, beliefs and even national laws.

Back in 2005, when London won the bid to host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012, Seb Coe made a passionate speech about inspiring the youth of the world. Those words have certainly come to fruition, with International Inspiration now operating in 12 countries and reaching out to over four million young people and children.

I am visiting Azerbaijan in my role as International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President and was guest of honour at the International Inspiration Legacy Conference - where the programme has been in operation for three years. The Azeri Government has been impressed with the achievements of the programme and going forward, it will continue to operate under their control.

The legacy day started with children and young people showcasing International Inspiration activities in a mini-sports festival before moving on to presentations and working groups discussing the sustainability of a myriad of projects and programmes that have been put in place to ensure they leave a lasting legacy.

Accompanying me on the trip was Elias Musangeya, who has been a key member of the International Inspiration team and really set the scene for me in describing the scale of the initiative. More than 150,000 children and young people have been involved in the project in Azerbaijan since 2007, with projects targeting those from disadvantaged groups in particular. In addition to providing access to sport, programmes have also looked at developing life skills, confidence and encouraging integration.

But it is attitude changes that have impressed me the most. Several years ago, for example, there were not many opportunities for young people with disabilities to access sport and teaching was not particularly inclusive.

In Azerbaijan, International Inspiration has been working in partnership with the National Paralympic Committee to help football and volleyball organisations in providing opportunities for children with disabilities and to teach awareness, sensitivity and social integration. Training has also been provided for teachers and young leaders who now understand how to bring out the best in children, whether having an impairment, being a victim of crime or living in conflict.

International Inspiration has also had an impact at legislative level. Two national policies have been passed since the programme began - the National Strategy on PE and Sport Development and a Law on PE and Sport. International Inspiration has helped the Azeri Government develop their PE strategy and inspired legal changes committing to providing more sporting opportunities for young people - including a focus on girls' participation, child protection and facilitating the mainstreaming of children with special needs.

I was lucky enough to see confident, communicative and happy children during my short visit to Azerbaijan who have been inspired by the energy within sport. International Inspiration has made a big difference to the sporting infrastructure in the country as well as directly targeting those most in need with tailor made solutions. If the work in other countries has been half as impressive, International Inspiration will leave a legacy for London 2012 for many years to come amongst millions of people worldwide.

This blog was first published on Inside the Games

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
News
Team of Tomorrow image with lined up athletes from left to right, Ben Cumberland, Megan Farrer,  Thomas Young, Tom Hattee, and Ellie Challis.
UK Sport launches Environmental Sustainability Strategy to protect ‘Team of Tomorrow’
28 March 2023
five athletes sat on stage in mid disussion
International Relations Seminar 2023
21 March 2023
Eilish crossing the line celebrating with her arms in the air
New research shows British public support athletes speaking out and driving social change
8 March 2023
Sport jobs in the UK
Find & advertise UK based sports jobs here
Read more
Funding Partners
  • DCMS
  • TNL partners
Strategic Partners
  • British Olympic Association
  • Paralympics GB
  • english institute of sport logo
  • Sport England
  • Sport Northern Ireland
  • Sport Wales
  • Sport Scotland
Sitelogo
Sitemap
  • Homepage
  • About us
  • Our work
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
  • Resources
  • Jobs in sport
  • UK Sport editorial policy
  • Freedom of Information Act 2000
  • Website terms
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies policy
  • FAQs
Contact
UK Sport
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
E: info@uksport.gov.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7211 5100
Follow us
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram LinkedIn

© Copyright UK Sport 2023