Laureus World Sports Academy Legends in Gauteng for Sports Summit

Many of the world's most influential sportsmen and women are to attend next month's Laureus World Sports Academy Forum in Gauteng

The Laureus World Sports Academy is a unique association of 42 of the greatest living sporting legends who share a belief in the power of sport to break down barriers, bring people together and improve the lives of young people around the world.

The Academy members act as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, volunteering their time to visit projects in order to draw attention to the problems afflicting society today.

At the Academy Forum, to be held in Johannesburg from November 5-9, 2006, the members of the Laureus Academy will discuss organisational issues, the consolidation and growth of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the development of Laureus's global sporting community through the enlistment of Laureus Friends & Ambassadors.

Particular focus will be given to Laureus's work in Africa, where the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation tackles a range of social issues from child soldiers, AIDS and homelessness to poverty, racial issues and abuse - in each case using sport as the tool for social change.

Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses said: "At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, our Patron Nelson Mandela said sport has the power to change the world and the power to unite people in a way little else does. That message has become the mantra of Laureus. Nowhere is that philosophy more true than in Africa.

"Africa has a unique vibrancy and spirit, but it also faces overwhelming challenges. We cannot overcome them all at once but we can, with the support of partners around the world and the focus of the world sports community, contribute by changing one playing field at a time".

"The Laureus Academy Forum gives us the chance to meet and discuss a range of burning issues in sport today, as well as focusing on how best we can expand the whole Laureus concept for the good of sport in South Africa and around the world."

The Laureus Academy Forum will be supported by the Gauteng Provincial Government and financial services company Discovery - the founding partner of the South African chapter of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which currently backs nine projects in the country. Laureus also provides support for projects in Chad, Kenya and Uganda.

Laureus is an independent non-political, non-profit organization that uses sport as the means to bring people together. It is composed of three core elements: the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards.

Collectively they celebrate sporting excellence and harness the power of sport to promote social change. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation addresses a broad range of social problems through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception, Laureus has improved the lives of almost 150,000 young people.


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