Diary of a Young Ambassador, Alaa Muntasir

Since the Young Ambassadors seminar took place in March in Nanjing ahead of this summer’s Youth Olympic Games, Alaa Muntasir, the IOC’s Young Ambassador for Sudan, has been busy spreading the spirit of the Games in her community and learning about the ways in which we can build a better world through sport.

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Nanjing 2014 IOC News YOG

An avid horse-rider and student of Information Technology, Alaa sent us this diary piece from her latest adventure:

"A few weeks ago, four youth volunteers including myself were chosen by our National Olympic Committee to represent Sudan in the Generations For Peace Workshop held in Jordan from 26th to 30th April.

Generations For Peace is the peace-through-sport organization recognized by the IOC, and it empowers, mentors and supports young people to lead and cascade sustainable change in communities experiencing different forms of conflict.

Through intensive sessions, 30 participants from eight Asian and African countries all experienced how sport\-based games can be used to develop peace\-building skills and help initiate behavioral change\. We all practiced how to build acceptance and trust, develop respect, foster cooperation, ensure inclusion and take responsibility, by means of sport and the tools that were provided to all of us\. As a Young Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games, I learned about other participants’ countries and cultures, common challenges we all share, and possible solutions that lie within each one of us\. I cannot wait to meet my athletes going to Nanjing 2014 this summer and share what I have learnt: we will be aiming at instilling change, on and off the sport field, in our lives and the lives of those around us\. I know the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect will guide us on that journey\."

Alaa is one of 104 Young Ambassadors selected by their respective National Olympic Committees to lead the athletes through their YOG journey, help them get the most out of the compete, learn and share programme and to encourage them to make new friends, experience new cultures and live by the Olympic values.

With just months to go until the Games, the YAs, aged between 18-25-years-old, are busy spreading the YOG spirit all over the world by hosting camps and workshops with young athletes in their communities and working closing with their NOCs and National Federations.

Click here to see the full list of the Young Ambassadors