Next year's Olympics
So we can now say the London Olympics are "next year". Last time on this blog I was kicking round thoughts about how we translate that into a sharper sense of anticipation - not necessarily now but by the start of 2012. And this weekend, happily, gives us an example of how we can try to spread the Olympic spirit.
For a while we've been running a project called World Class - a partnership between the 91Èȱ¬ and . One of its big ideas is twinning schools from the UK with counterparts across the world, and last autumn we launched on 91Èȱ¬ Breakfast a competition with a prize of links to the schools of our athletes. So in Burntwood, West Midlands, has found itself twinned with - which is a bit further west in Des Moines, Iowa; and earned a connection to Merlyn Diamond's school in Namibia. Overall more than 1500 UK schools registered their interest.
The floodlights at the Olympic Stadium, turned on December 2010. Photo: AFP
All of which is jolly good in terms of developing school partnerships, sharing creative work and turning into reality . But how much better would it be if the electronic and virtual relationships could be translated into actual visits and human encounters? We're about to find out.
Teachers from every one of the global schools - along with one pupil from each secondary school - have been invited to London this weekend. They'll meet initially at in an event called Olympic Dreams Live; and then they'll go to their twin schools for a short visit. We can therefore expect visitors from to ; from to ; and, possibly less romantically, from to the . The hope is that this will inspire conversations that continue and which foster understanding between some radically different cultures.
It's worth saying this is just one part of World Class and it captures - and both of them sit within the wider aims of legacy we have in the 91Èȱ¬ and which are shared across the London 2012 family. I don't think anybody would have the illusions that projects like these are going to be the loudest voices in the media frenzy of the months ahead; but I'm delighted they're happening and we'd like to think their contribution will be felt in the lives of individuals and communities well beyond 2012.
I'm Roger Mosey, the 91Èȱ¬'s director of London 2012. That means I'm overseeing all the 91Èȱ¬'s 2012 preparations including not just sport but the Cultural Olympiad, our Olympic news and information services and everything that will bring the story of the London Games to audiences at home and abroad. I want to share here what we're planning - and debate some of the big issues. You can also follow me on .
Comment number 1.
At 13th Jan 2011, Jason wrote:I demand this song be sung at every one of these events:
Children, children, future, future,
Are you ready for the children, woah woah woah!
The future is a-coming, hey hey hey!
Children, children, future, future,
Children, children, children are the future!
Kids!
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Comment number 2.
At 17th Jan 2011, rjaggar wrote:Publicise a lot more things like this Mr Mosey.
This is what the legacy is supposed to be about, this and a lot, lot more.
A story a fortnight like this until March 2012, please.
Then spend 6 months enjoying the Games.
Then focus on the legacy for a decade.
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Comment number 3.
At 17th Jan 2011, Chris wrote:Not to sound like a miserable git or anything, but this sounds like an enormous waste of time and money. I remember going on German Exchange in Year 9 and it was nothing more than a cheap holiday!
I think we need to revisit our definition of the word 'legacy' and focus on exploring, revisiting and improving our own culture rather than exploring others. Sending school kids off to the US and Namibia isn't really the kind of legacy tax payers were looking for........... You should send them to an East London council estate for a week and have them write an essay on their experience.......
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Jan 2011, maxmerit wrote:Not to much enthusiasm for the Olympics is evident at the moment Mr Mosley.
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Comment number 5.
At 23rd Jan 2011, Roger Mosey - 91Èȱ¬ Director, London 2012 wrote:You obviously don't look in the right places, Max. Taking Chris's more substantive point in #3: some of what we're planning is mass activation - getting millions of people involved with some really big ideas. But we also reckon there's a role for changing things through the power of individuals, which is what the World Class experience is about. So you can either consider an exchange visit as a cheap holiday or as something that can shape your life for the better - and it's your choice, really.
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