BACH TO INCREASE YOUNG CHANGE-MAKERS ON IOC COMMISSIONS FOR 2019

TOKYO, Japan – President of the International Olympic Committee(IOC), Thomas Bach has said he will significantly increase the number of Young Change-Makers (YCMs) on its Commissions for 2019. Thomas Bach, announced the development on the final day of the three-day IOC Youth Summit taking place in Tokyo.

He said that during the last IOC Youth Summit in Lausanne in 2017, 7 YCMs were included on the IOC Commissions and that they played a vital role in the Olympism in Action Forum this October.

The IOC Youth Summit brought together 39 of the 42 Young Change-Makers+ who have been provided with seed funding (CHF 5000) in 2018 to establish social projects using sport to impact their local communities in the year ahead.

“Some 70 projects have been established that has impacted 25,000 participants since it was introduced in 2016”, the IOC said.

IOC President Bach said; “I would like to inform you that we will significantly increase the number of YCMs in the IOC Commissions for 2019. This is your home to present your ideas, your projects and make your comments. Let’s join forces to make the world a better place through sport.”

During the summit, the change-makers received mentorship and took part in workshops on moving from a charity to a social business from Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus, who himself has built his career on social entrepreneurship. In his address to the YCMs he said “You are mobilising people around the world with one single thing, sport. You are messengers for change, actors for change, you bring changes to your communities, to society and to the whole world.” 

YCM Rania Rahardja from Singapore said,  “We have a voice now within the Olympic Movement that is getting louder and louder. This is a Movement that needs to stay relevant and this is how we can help. Our meeting with the President is to discuss the issues that matter to us and having this diversity of young voices heard.”