Global Forum for Sports and Environment
World Expo Features Athletes’ Messages
The “Vital Messages” exhibit, displaying environmental messages from 17 world-class athletes, was among the many displays to be found on the opening day of the World Exposition in Aichi on 25 March 2005. Highlighting the increasing role of sports in increasing environmental awareness, the exhibit paves the way for the Sports Summit for the Environment at the Expo Dome on 31 July. Held under a theme of “Natures Wisdom”, the first World Exposition of the 21 Century is focusing on the use of technology in solving global environmental problems and the future development of eco-communities. As 2005 is the UN designated “Year of Sports and Physical Education” it is not surprising that the Expo would make some mention of the increasingly important role that sports is playing in raising awareness and promoting action among our future global communities. As international sporting events reach global audiences, the focus on professional athletes has never been more intense, increasing the influence they have as role models to our future generations. Visitors to the exhibit will find environmental messages from 17 world-class athletes, alongside a profile of their achievements. Young people can also pick up an “Eco-passport” as a souvenir of the Expo and a reminder of the important messages of their favorite sport stars. The passports are activated by stamping them with a “Dream Stamp”- a unique stamp made up of individual characters-one for each of the athletes. Pieced together the characters form a new message. Of the 4000 people that visited the exhibit on the first day, 1200 passports were handed out to children. Among the athletes featured in the exhibit are Ai Sugiyama-a familiar face on the international tennis circuit, Greg LeMond-three time winner of the Tour de France, Hidetoshi Nakata- Japan’s most successful footballer (currently playing with ACF Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A) and a handful of Olympic medallists such as Kosuke Kitajima (swimming), Hiroyasu Shimizu (speed skating) and Naoko Takahashi (Marathon). The exhibit runs until 25 September and can be found in the “Yume Miru Yama” (Nagakute) event space run by the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper. The “Dream Stamp” was produced through the cooperation of NPO Global Sports Alliance (GSA) and Shachihata Inc. Events at the Expo featuring sports and the environment will peak on 31 July with the Sports Summit for the Environment, to be held in the Expo Dome. The event, organized by the Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition, the Chunichi Shimbun Newspaper, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and NPO Global Sports Alliance (GSA), will bring together international sporting federations and the UN agencies to recognize and encourage grassroots environmental initiatives through sport, as well as promote new programs. The Summit will also seek to encourage a declaration of commitments on the environment by sport organizations, sport stars and the public. Athletes featured in the exhibit are: LINK : |
World Expo Features Athletes’ Messages