RIYADH — Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal, president of the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee (SAOC) and Chair of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Education Committee on Thursday set out his vision for increasing education opportunities through sport.

At the inaugural virtual meeting of the OCA Education Committee, and Prince Abdulaziz’s first as chair, the crucial role the Education Committee can play in supporting education initiatives as Asia looks to recover from COVID-19, was highlighted.

Since the start of the pandemic, SAOC has used the power of Olympism to lead innovative digital education programs and inspire tens of thousands of Saudis to stay active and engage with online learning initiatives — including in global unison on Olympic Day.

Following the successful, SAOC-led, #StayAtHome campaign, the SAOC president proposed increasing the implementation of online learning opportunities throughout Asia.

As SAOC President, Prince Abdulaziz has prioritized implementing the Olympic Values Education Program (OVEP) within Saudi Arabia to communicate the benefits of sport to society. Despite postponement due to COVID-19, the powerful Saudi Games platform has been harnessed to launch a wide-range of new initiatives including the Saudi Arabian Olympic Academy to provide young athletes with the facilities to excel.

The OCA Education Committee is a platform for Asia’s sporting leaders to share knowledge and promote dialogue between member nations and NOCs.

As Asian sport continues to grow, the Education Committee works to ensure that all parts of society are provided with the learning resources they need to drive forward and increase opportunities for sport to contribute to the development of education throughout the region.

Prince Abdulaziz, after inaugurating the meeting, said: “During these difficult times as Asia and the rest of the world endeavors to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vitally important that the OCA Education Committee continues support the educational development of young people.

“Chairing the first virtual meeting of the Education Committee has been a priority following the postponement of the Saudi Games and displays an innovative spirit we can all embrace.

“The OCA Education Committee can play a crucial role here as online education and e-learning opportunities become the norm in many member nations.

“With solidarity and social purpose as key values, a committed and coordinated approach, increased resources, and Asia’s combined skills and knowledge, the Education Committee can provide new Olympic education opportunities.

“Education should be integrated in all our activities with support from our strategic and commercial partners as they represent valuable avenues to help share the Olympic values.

“I congratulate all OCA members and their NOCs for leading inspirational educational activities, including webinars and training courses. Asian NOCs have demonstrated their powerful capabilities in delivering these initiatives — it is now time to unite these efforts to reach out to our wider communities.

“Saudi Arabia is a committed supporter of the Olympic Movement, the OCA and sport throughout Asia and the SAOC has remained in close contact with our communities during the #StayAtHome phase.

“The power of Olympism has inspired tens of thousands of Saudis to #StayActive, connected, and continuously engaged with our Olympic educational content.”

Members from across the Asian sports world who attended the OCA Education Committee meeting included: Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, president of SAOC and chairman of OCA Education Committee; Maxwell De Silva, vice-chair of OCA Education Committee and secretary-general of Sri Lanka’s NOC; Mazen Fawzi Ramadan, chef de mission of the Lebanese delegation, Rio 2016 Olympic Games; Ada Jaffrey, deputy secretary of the women sports commission at the Pakistan Olympic Association; Dr. Khaled Atiyat, vice president of the Jordan Olympic Committee and secretary-general for Asian Fencing.

Others attending the meeting included: Saif Mohammed Al Naemi, executive director of the Qatar Olympic Academy; Dr. Nibal Khalil, vice president of the Palestine Olympic Committee; Fazlollah Bagherzadeh, vice president of the Iranian NOC; Feng Gao, representing China and Young Hwa Son, representing the Republic of Korea. — SG