GSF Events Calendar
2010
February
February 23
In Day 3, the delegates moved into the Multinational Competitions phase of the camp in football and basketball. This time they had to follow the GSF Fair Play Score Card and adapt play behaviours that comply with the spirit of sport. After a nervous start, play picked up and the end of the day saw only one team not picking up any of the 2 points for Fair Play. In football one team scored the maximum 4 points (2 points for a win and 2 points for Fair Play).
The first Seminar on Youth Leadership emphasized the need for social and emotional intelligence to be among the skills of young leaders. Radovan (Czech Republic) introduced them to the "tree" and had them trying out two movement activities that generated excitement and enthusiasm. The children even had homework to do.
The second Seminar was about Drug and Delinquency Awareness to highlight the risks involved in experimenting wih illicit substances. The young delegates showed that they were familiar with this problem in some of their communities. A rough indication of youth vulnerability to delinquent behaviours, the youngsters provided information that showed that the average child had some 40 hours of spare time hours weekly that needed to be filled with activities. Coaches and youth were shown how after-school sport activities, using the GSF model could help children use some of that spare time productively and reduce the risk of getting into trouble.
To end the day, Coaches and Delegation Youth Leaders discussed the day's results and agreed on adjustments for the following day. One Coach, Rodrigo (Brazil), presented information and a video on the work of his organization, Instituto Bola Pra Frente that is working to keep children enrolled in school.
February 22
Day 2
The Opening Ceremony took place at the Al Rayyan Sports Club, with Mr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, President of the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation giving the keynote address and then doing the "kick off". Mr. Nasser Al-Attiyah, 4 times Olympian and World & Middle East Rally Champion also spoke and joined in the "kick off".
Preparations for the multinational competitions were done for players in football and basketball that included drills, techniques and teamwork.
A sightseeing trip was made to the Sailing & Rowing Federation, at the invitation of the President, and all children and coaches were allowed to get on the water in different boats and learned the basics of sailing or controlling power boats. As the ISAF was conducting a training course for sailing trainers, the trainers were able to provide the GSF youth and coaches with sailing instructions and then accompanying them in test trips on the water. Many of the children found sailing easy and a lot of fun.
Later, a bus load of children and coaches went to Souq Waqif to spend a part of the evening exploring various sections of the Souq.
20-21 February
All delegations arrived safely to join their hosts in Doha. The excitement began with the briefing of all 160 delegations from 16 countries at the Retaj Al Rayyan hotel on 20 February.
On Day 1, the delegates completed Seminars in Fair Play and Playing by the Rules that were followed by baseline assessment and drills in football and basketball.
Everyone is happy and having fun !
February 20-26
The GSF International Youth Camp in to be held in Doha at the Al Rayyan sport club from 20-26 February 2010. One hundred and seventy youth (boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 13 + years) and adult coaches will participate from these 16 countries : Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Indonesia, Iraq, Nicaragua, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
They will spend a week of fun in learning, multinational team competitions in football and basketball, sightseeing, cultural exchanges and making new friendships. At the end of the programme, successful participants will receive awards as GSF Youth and Coach Ambassadors. Graduates will be able to go back to their communities to:
• Introduce their peers to the techniques of the GSF model that uses sport to teach social skills to youth as a way to develop individual potential.
• Demonstrate through play how a discipline (e.g., football or basketball) can be used to develop and practise positive social behaviours that are useful on and off the field.
• Use the GSF Fair Play Score Card to manage the behaviours of players in friendly competitions in a team-based sport.
• Explain how the principles of Fair Play, Playing by the Rules, Teamwork, Youth Leadership, Familiarization with Drug Prevention, Anti-Doping and Delinquency Avoidance Measures can be easily learned.
• Help organize after-school sport activities, using available school gyms and play fields to extend fun in learning within their communities.
SPORT VENUE:
The GSF youth camp programme of seminars, football and basketball multinational competitions will be held at the Al Rayyan Sports Club
www.rayyanclub.com; more information can be found through links from the Qatar Olympic Committee
www.olympic.qa site.
ACCOMMODATION: The hotel where all delegations will stay is the Retaj Al Rayyan Hotel (www.retaj-alrayyan.com). It is located in the Diplomatic District in Dafna, on the edge of the business district and conveniently located near to the City Centre Mall. Registration of all delegates and room assignments will take place at the Reception Desk on the ground floor lobby of the hotel. Remember to present your passport at the time of registration. All facilities of the hotel are available for your use. WIFI is complementary for those bringing laptops.
VISAS: Visas will be issued on arrival in Doha and will enable stay for up to one month. Delegates wanting to stay on privately after the youth camp should make flight reservations accordingly.
ARRIVAL: All delegations will be met at the international airport in Doha by a Hospitality Team (HT) on arrival. A desk with the GSF Logo will be set up for you to make contact. Additionally, the HT will be aware of each delegation arrival time. After delegations have cleared Immigration and Customs, the HT will escort them to the busses that will ferry them to the hotel.
GSF HELP DESK: This will be opened between 0700 to 2030 hours each day next to the Receptions. The HD will be a clearing point for information on the camp, such as, schedules, transportation, and advice about the city. A board will be next to this HD on which information will be posted and a space is also provided for delegates to use "post it" to leave information or questions for us to clear.
PERSONAL EFFECTS: Bring sufficient casual wear for evening and personal tours. As the evenings are cool a light sweater or pullover is needed. Currently the highest temperature in the day is 30 C and lowest at night is 13 C. Check the latest temperature here: www.news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/1298
Cameras, laptops, iPods and other items are a favourite among previous camp participants. But take care when you bring these items or other valuables; they are at your own risk.
ASSEMBLY & BRIEFING: The first official event of the youth camp takes place at 1800 hours on 20 February 2010. All delegations are to be seated in the large tent set up next to the hotel for a formal welcome and briefing as well, as getting acquainted. Seating will be arranged by delegations.
January
January 28-31
• GSF Core Team in position
January 17
• Completion of logistics arrangements.
January 10
• Closure of delegation list.
2009
CURRENT EVENTS
December
December 25
• Christmas Day - office closed.
December 18
• Qatar National Day - office closed.
December 15-21
• GSF International Youth Camp moved to new date of 1-7 FEBRUARY 2010.
December 3-19
• On-going communications with National Olympic Committees (NOCs), Ministries and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on arrangements for the GSF International Youth Camp (GSF IYC) to be held in Doha from 1 to 7 February 2010.
December 1-2
• Eid Al-Adha - office closed.
PAST EVENTS
November
November 29-30
• Eid Al-Adha - office closed.
November 25
• Secretary General QOC sends letter announcing the move of the GSF IYC to 1 to 7 February 2010 all NOCs partners.
November 1-26
• On-going preparations for the youth camp.
October
October 30
• Programme content completed and all material circulated to organizers. Securing of sport venues and accommodation completed.
October 25
• Advanced Information circulated to organizers.
October 6
• Invitations issued to NOCs, Ministries and NGOs to send delegates to the GSF IYC in Doha, 15-21 December 2009.
July
July 20-26
• GSF International Youth Camp at the Olympic Training Centre in Spala, Poland.
May
May 5-7
• GSF Project Coordinator carried out a site inspection for a proposed GSF youth camp at Spała, Poland.
May 8
• GSF Project coordinator conducted a workshop on "Fun in learning: Sport as the youth cultural exchange" in a session organized by Reach Out To Asia (ROTA). The workshop was aimed at involving participants to explore practical ways to support the development of youth potential by community efforts of various stakeholders. It also emphasized how parents, teachers, coaches and youth have strong incentives to self-organize around making better use of spare time.
The experience gained at the GSF Youth Camp in Cairo was taken as a case-study to demonstrate how sport served as the ideal cultural exchange for youth from around the world to meet, play and interact.
April
April 4
• GSF Project Coordinator gave a presentation to the Qatar Sports Women's Committee highlighting GSF's community-based approach and the importance of youth using their spare time more productively through after-school sports activities.
April 7
• GSF Project Coordinator gave an in interview to Mr. Kevin Roberts from Qatar Sports, the official magazine of the Qatar Olympic Committee on how the GSF programme works for youth around the world from its base in Doha.
April 22
• GSF Project Coordinator participated in a panel discussion on "Sports and Crime Prevention" that took place under the aegis of the Commission of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Vienna. The panel was chaired by H.E. Helmut Böck, Permanent Representative of Austria at the United Nation's Office in Vienna.
April 23-25
• GSF Project Coordinator carried out a site inspection at Olomouc for a proposed GSF youth camp in Czech Republic. He also met with organizers and other officials.
April 30-May 1
• GSF Project Coordinator gave a presentation on the ongoing and future projects of the Global Sport Fund at the 72nd AIPS Congress in Milan, hosted by the International Sport Press Association.
Mr. Khaled Al-Muhannadi, Director of Information Systems at the Qatar Olympic Committee also gave a presentation on the concept of the School Olympic Day at the AIPS Congress.
March
March 5
• H.E. Miroslaw Drzewiecki, Minister of Sports and Tourism of Poland, toured the GSF office and photogallery. He was briefed on the various activities and projects by H.E. Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee. The honourable minister was also invited to sign the GSF flag.
March 10
• Mr. Timothy Fok, Vice President East Asia of the Olympic Council of Asia toured the GSF office and photogallery. He was briefed by the GSF Project Coordinator.
March 13 -14
• GSF set up a kiosk and information centre at the 2009 School Olympic Day festivities held at the Aspire academy dome in Doha.
GSF give-aways were distributed among participants and the kiosk proved to be a massive hit with children of all age groups. An estimated 30,000 school students participated in this year's programme. (See School Olympic Day photographs in the Photo Gallery section of this website.)
February
February 6 -10
• GSF International Youth Camp was successfully held at the Al Maadi Olympic centre in Cairo, Egypt. This was the largest camp of its kind in the region. Over 180 youth and coaches from 17countries had fun playing football and volleyball and studying together the importance of Fair Play and drug and delinquency prevention. They made lasting friendships that keep them connected even today. (See Global Sport Fund Facebook profile page on
www.facebook.com)
February 15 - 16
• GSF Project Coordinator, Mr. Carl Marsh, presented the activities of GSF at the Programme Development Workshop organized by the Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) in Egypt.
February 23
• Mr Ali Al-Jaber, Manager, Sports Development at the Ministry of Education, received a briefing on the GSF model of using sport as a medium for learning social skills and the intention of GSF to introduce a pilot project in selected schools of Qatar.
January
January 9-11
• Preparatory site-visit to Cairo, to make arrangements for February's youth camp.
