Culture and education are side by side with sport in Rio de Janeiro’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Consequently, a senior Brazilian team has been sent to attend the VI World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which begins on Thursday 25th September in Busan, South Korea. The Brazilian delegation consists of Mário Cilenti, Director of International Relations, Rio 2016 Commission, Christiane Paquelet, Director of Education and Culture, Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), and Nira Lima, representative of the Culture Department of the Rio 2016 Commission.

The event, held every two years, will this year play host to around 1,000 participants from 150 countries. The aim is to discuss how integration between sport, education and culture can contribute to world peace and well-being. “Education and culture are pillars of Rio 2016’s candidature. Taking part in the IOC World Forum is an excellent opportunity to learn and exchange ideas”, said Mário Cilenti.

Christiane Paquelet explained that they will outline the various actions taken in Brazil over the last two years, such as the books published by “COB Cultural” and cultural initiatives organized in the School Olympics and Olympic Week.

COB Cultural was created in 2005 in order to publish original books on athletes’ and their achievements, Olympic sports, training techniques and the participation of Brazilians in sporting events. In April, the launch of the children’s book “Do you know the Olympic Games?”, which explains the history of the Olympic Movement and the Games, brought together 160 children with Olympic medal-winner Flávio Canto (bronze in Athens 2004), in one of Rio’s Metro stations.

Young people are also the target market of the School Olympics, which ends on Sunday 28th September. This annual event, taking place for the fourth time, has brought together 2,800 12 to 14 year olds competing in nine different categories – athletics, basketball, futsal, handball, judo, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and chess. As well as the sports competitions, the event includes a parallel cultural agenda, featuring seminars on the Olympic Movement and a photographic exhibition on the Brazilian delegation that took part in the Beijing Games. The information is presented in innovative ways, in puppet theatre, educational visits and musical shows.