October 1 - The first Generations For Peace camp outside the Middle East was officially opened today by the organisation’s founder and chairman, Prince Feisal Al-Hussein.



Based in Sochi, host of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the camp brings together 57 leaders of youth from 11 European and Central Asian countries involved in various conflicts.

Delegates will undertake an intensive 10-day peace-through-sport training programme involving academic conflict transformation techniques and practical sports coaching.

Prince Feisal said: "This is the first time ever an organisation like Generations For Peace has collaborated so closely with an OCOG (Organising Committee for the Olympic Games).

"The first time ever we have had this fantastic opportunity to celebrate with such unity our shared belief in the supreme importance of the Olympic values we all hold so dear - of respect and tolerance; fair play and teamwork; peace, understanding and reconciliation.

"Our common goals unite us and our rich diversity makes us ever stronger.alt

"I feel immensely proud to be speaking to a room filled with such courage, such integrity, such passion for peace.

"The sum of our parts is impressive. Our whole has limitless potential.”

Generations For Peace has carefully selected accomplished leaders of youth from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Seven of these nations will be sending delegates to a Generations For Peace camp for the first time, taking the total number of participating countries and territories to 46.

Much like Generations For Peace, Sochi 2014 has taken positive steps towards creating a sustainable legacy for the younger generation, Russian officials claimed.

Most notably, its volunteer programme and the Russian International Olympic University have been established to instil the values of Olympism in the youth of Russia and create a social and economic impact that will continue long after the Games have left Sochi.

President and chief executive of Sochi 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko, said: "This is an excellent opportunity to create a sustainable, tangible legacy for Sochi 2014 today.

"Working with Generations For Peace, we hope to help spread the values of Olympism not just in Russia, but throughout the world.

"Excellence, respect and friendship are universally important, but they are not universally celebrated.

"By sharing our expertise in long- and short-term community sport projects, and by learning from Generations For Peace’s wealth of experience in peace through sport initiatives, we hope to change that."

By the time Sochi Camp 2010 finishes on October 11, the organisation will have trained more than 500 delegates from 46 countries and territories in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.


Related stories
September 2010:
Generations for Peace to hold camp in Sochi