By Alicia Heyman
Two Cape Town high school learners jetted off to Germany this week to participate in the prestigious biennial Comité Internationale Pierre de Coubertin (CIPC) Youth Forum from 1-7 November 2022.
Grade 11 pupils Nazeem Jaffar and Yushrah Clayton from Beauvallon Secondary School in Valhalla Park left for Munich on Sunday for the 13thCIPC Youth Forum, accompanied by The Hague Primary School teacher Jasmina Majiet.
The main objective of the fully-funded trip is to provide young people from different continents the opportunity to effectively understand Coubertin’s Olympic ideals, and to let the values of friendship, fairness, excellence, respect, and the joy of effort be experienced across borders.
On Friday 28 October 2022, Beauvallon Secondary School hosted a farewell for Jaffar and Clayton in which Janine Joseph, principal of The Hague, encouraged learners to network, learn and utilize every opportunity that comes their way.
Traditionally, the week’s activities are centred around: Social Performance; An Olympic Knowledge Test, Sporting Performances, A Cultural Performance in one of the nine international arts workshops, and Discussions on Olympic Values.
Beauvallon Principal Leonard Jansen mentioned how proud he is that these two learners got an opportunity to explore and see life out of Valhalla Park and South Africa. He wished the learners well and also thanked those who sponsored them.
The two learners were selected by the South African Pierre de Coubertin Committee, a CIPC arm which falls under the Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace, an NGO that advocates and promotes sport and values as tools for development, social change and peace, at community level and within society at large. Majiet is a member of both organisations, and has been accompanying learners to the event for the past six years.
Jaffar and Clayton were over the moon and said they were looking forward to the opportunity.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it, but as time came closer, I started to feel the excitement,” said Yushrah. “I want to encourage young people from Valhalla Park that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.”
Nazeem shared his sentiments
“I want young people to look at me and be inspired,” he said. “A child in sport is a child out of court.”
The two learners were sent off with well wishes, gifts and prayers – and the support of their parents, the principal, teachers and learners from their school, and the community of Valhalla Park.
Alicia Heyman is a Cape Town-based journalist and sports enthusiast. She also has first-hand experience of the CIPC, having attended the 11th Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum in Estonia in 2017.
Edited by Nicklaus Kruger
