PyeongChang 2018: New MOU with ASEAN-Korea Centre will promote strategic outreach in Southeast Asia

July 19 - The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) announced today that they have signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the ASEAN-Korea Centre.

The ASEAN-Korea Centre is an international organization established economic and socio-cultural cooperation between ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Member States and Korea. The member states include apart from Korea: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

The center is also very proactive to organize school tour programs teaching the youth about the culture and customs of the ASEAN member states. It also does outreach through the universities as well as the tourism organizations to strengthen socio-cultural ties. The focus is on trade and investment activities as well as culture and tourism activities.

According to the MOU POCOG and the ASEAN-Korea Centre will work closely together to raise public awareness about winter sports by promoting PyeongChang 2018 by way of international events and networking throughout the member countries.

The strategic alliance is also targeted to expand the highly successful Dream Programme and to bring in more participation from Southeast Asia according to the New Horizons strategy for the PyeongChang Games to open the door as the hub for winter sports in Asia.

The Dream Programme was launched in 2004 to introduce winter sports to youths that might not have the opportunity to experience winter sports. Since the start 1,083 young people coming from 52 countries have participated in the program which usually takes place for 10 days in January/February.

Last year, the 'New Dream Programme' was launched opening the door for young people with disabilities and already 43 attendees have benefitted from this new plan. This year also the program expanded to also serve as an academy for winter sports reaching out to coaches.

Important to note Dream Programme participants who have gone on to represent their countries in the Olympic Winter Games and other major international sport events – 12 athletes from 8 countries:

Sourced: sportsfeatures