Ishaan Shahane
The collaboration between the Reliance Foundation and the International Olympic Committee marks a pivotal initiative aimed at effecting positive change in the lives of countless young individuals.
This partnership places significant emphasis on the promotion of sports and the dissemination of Olympic principles, with the overarching goal of imparting a constructive influence on the youth.
IOC President Thomas Bach and Mrs Nita M Ambani, the founder of the Reliance Foundation and India’s IOC member, met today at the prestigious Reliance Foundation Football Academy in Mumbai to deliberate further on the intricacies and implications of this alliance.
Speaking on the collaboration Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder Chairperson of Reliance Foundation added ‘’ OVEP brings both sports and education together. With this partnership, we can hope to positively impact the 250 million school-going children of India, reaching out to the remotest villages and regions of India, and giving them options for a more disciplined, healthier, fitter and more wholesome lifestyle. Children are our future and we need to give them the right to education and the right to play.”
During the event, several activities were seen to take place, from budding footballers honing their football skills to youngsters demonstrating their physical strength by performing innovative Malkhamb exercises.
The objectives of the event were clear: to showcase the benefits of sport and the power it holds in transforming the community. Speaking on the occasion, IOC President Thomas Bach said, “ Sport has the ability to transform the lives of young people. We welcome Reliance Foundation joining as an OVEP implementation partner and we look forward to bringing the Olympic values to even more students, first in the Mumbai area and then hopefully across the state of Maharashtra. Respect, friendship, fair play and solidarity are values that young people can benefit from and imbibe for life. And the most important aspect is solidarity with one and all.”