Generations for Peace, Olympic Refugee Foundation renew partnership

AMMAN — HRH Prince Feisal, the Regent, and the Chairman of Generations for Peace, and President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach on Thursday signed an agreement to officially announce the renewal of the partnership between Generations for Peace and the Olympic Refugee Foundation for the next three years.

The partnership includes a plan to implement more than 3,000 sporting activities to feature the participation of 15,000 young men and women from the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, and other host communities around Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Prince Feisal said that throughout successive regional crises, Jordan has not hesitated to open its borders to all victims of conflicts and wars. He added that the Kingdom, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, has proven its firm commitment to hosting those affected by displacement and has ensured their appropriate protection, psychological support and integration opportunities.

Prince Feisal commended the efforts of the Olympic Refugee Foundation and the IOC for their continued support to Jordan and their work to implement programmes that have a sustainable, positive impact on “our communities".

He also expressed Generation for Peace’s pride in renewing the partnership with the Olympic Refugee Foundation, stating that sports will be used as an effective tool capable of promoting community cohesion and providing safe spaces in the lives of young people affected by displacement.

Bach reaffirmed the IOC's commitment to build a better world through sport and its hard work with the 206 national Olympic committees around the world to support sport and the core Olympic values of excellence, friendship and mutual respect.

Bach visited the UNICEF-affiliated Makani Centre at Zaatari camp to participate in a number of sporting activities and to meet with a group of UNHCR representatives.

Also on Thursday, Bach, accompanied by Prince Feisal, visited the Jordan Olympic Committee’s (JOC) Olympic Preparation Centre, where the OIC head checked on the facilities, which provide services to high-performing athletes in Olympic and non-Olympic sports. 

The facility is considered the first of its kind in the Kingdom, Petra added. 

Bach praised the JOC’s efforts, and the “big step” of establishing the centre and its offer of full support to athletes so that Jordan can achieve excellence in major sporting events.

Earlier in the day, Prince Feisal, the Regent, and Princess Zeina Al Feisal welcomed Bach and his wife Claudia to Jordan.