Save the Dream – Making a Difference
Crisis, Conflict and Natural Disaster have a significant human impact on people around the world. In particular, it can change the lives of many children and young people, often taking away their right to education and access to play sport.
In 2015, the world has witnessed numerous tragedies, resulting in many families and young people being displaced from their homes. However, Save the Dream – an initiative established by the ICSS in partnership with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and with the support of Ooredoo – has been working to restore hope in young people through the power of sport.
Created to help inspire, educate and empower children and young people through the values of sport, as well as promoting inter-cultural dialogue and social innovation, over the last 12 months, Save the Dream has delivered a range of projects and initiatives around the world and alongside leading international institutions to achieve these aims.
Save the Dream – Empowering Young People through projects around the world
In 2015, Save the Dream has worked with young people around the world, including projects in Brazil, India and Haiti to name a few.
This year, Save the Dream signed a new agreement with the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to improve the lives of young refugees through sport and related educational opportunities. The agreement envisages initial projects in support of children and youth fleeing conflicts in Somalia and Yemen by helping to set up several sport programmes, as well as distributing sports equipment, throughout camps in Kenya and in the Republic of Djibouti.
In addition, working in cooperation with Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI) from Italy and the Haitian government, Save the Dream also visited Haiti this year to run a special sport and education programme for young people affected by conflict and natural disaster in the country which will result in the re-building of sports facilities in the country.
Alongside these projects in Haiti and Africa, Save the Dream was also recognised by Premier League side, Aston Villa FC, for its work in India alongside local organisations with the Delhi Dreams project.
As part of the project, over 120 young girls from slum areas in New Delhi took part in a special football tournament, resulting in two female footballers being selected to travel to the UK to train with the Aston Villa under-13 and under-15 teams.
In addition to these highlights, Save the Dream capped off a busy 2015 by running several other projects and forums in 2015, engaging with key international entities including UNICEF, UNESCO, the European Union, the UN Office on Sport for Peace and Development, the Global Child Forum, the International Olympic Truce Center, as well as many sport bodies such as the Spanish La Liga, the Italian Serie A, Aspire Academy and several sport and civil society organisations from in the Americas to name a few.
Raising Awareness – Times Square, Save the Dream Song and new Tuxedo Jersey
As part of its effort to raise awareness of its mission, engage new partners and enhance support for its projects, Save the Dream also organised several high-profile international events and activities of note this year.
In partnership with renowned Senegalese singer and political leader Youssou N’Dour, Save the Dream launched a new charity song during a spectacular event in Times Square, New York involving hundreds of local children, artists, Save the Dream ambassadors and event sponsors Qatar Airways, Gulf Warehousing and Ooredoo.
The song, titled Save the Dream, was written to raise funds for new projects, which will aim to restore access to sport for displaced children in affected refugee communities. For more information about how to download the song, please visit the Save the Dream website.
In addition to the Save the Dream song, Save the Dream has also teamed up with Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in Spain as part of its partnership with ASPIRE ACADEMY to launch a special tuxedo jersey for the 2015 / 16 season.
With ‘La Culta’ flying high and pushing for promotion this season, the special tuxedo jersey will add a touch of sophistication to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa football players this year and will aim to raise funds for future Save the Dream projects.
Looking towards 2016, Save the Dream will continue its work inspiring and empowering young people through its various international sports projects, as well as working with global partners and institutions.
However, Save the Dream cannot do this alone. If you would like to make a difference to lives of young people around the world and support Save the Dream, as well as purchase the Save the Dream song, please visit http://www.save-the-dream.org/ or follow on twitter at @savethedream.
