Charity initiative to secure Sport for Good Legacy of Laureus World Sports Awards In Kuala Lumpur
February 22, 2014
Olympic legend and Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses has announced an innovative tie-up between Laureus and Malaysian charity Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) to benefit young people in Malaysia through the use of sport.
Moses made the announcement at the opening day of the finals of the Kejohanan Bolasepak Piala Mamee 1Malaysia football tournament in Kuala Lumpur, supported by YR1M, where he was guest of honour.
He pledged that the global Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which currently supports more than 140 sports-based community projects in 34 countries, would develop programmes in Malaysia in collaboration with YR1M to deliver an ongoing legacy for the country, after the Laureus World Sports Awards, which are to be staged on March 26 in Kuala Lumpur.
YR1M is the corporate social responsibility partner of the Laureus World Sports Awards and will benefit from the vast reservoir of knowledge and experience in sport for development that Laureus can bring after 15 years of humanitarian activities, which have helped to improve the lives of young people all over the world.
Edwin Moses said: “I have been in Kuala Lumpur for three days now and been totally excited with everything I have seen. I know that the Laureus World Sports Awards next month will be one of the best ever, but Laureus is not just about the Awards. Our first Patron, the great President Mandela, told us ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does’.
“We are doing our best to use sport to change the world and improve people’s lives, as he wanted us to. I am really delighted that we will be working with such excellent partners as YR1M and we plan to extend our activities in Malaysia in the future and do what we can to make a difference in this country.
“At the Laureus World Sports Awards next month some of the greatest living sportsmen and sportswomen, who all believe in the power of sport to help individuals and communities, will be in Malaysia. They are the role models for countless young people around the world and like me they are looking forward to playing a part in this important work in Malaysia after the Awards.”
Ms Ung Su Ling, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia said "As the Laureus CSR Partner, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia is pleased to work with the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation to leverage the power of sport to reach out to youths and bring about positive social change through participation in sports.”
Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia is a charitable foundation dedicated towards benefitting Malaysians from all walks of life in line with the principles of 1Malaysia. The Foundation’s activities are geared towards engaging and helping Malaysians, particularly the less fortunate and those in need, and to equip them with building blocks to achieve a better quality of life. Towards this end, the Foundation focuses on three areas – Improving quality of life, Education and Sports.
The Kejohanan Bolasepak Piala Mamee 1Malaysia football tournament, is one of the elements of the sports programme, and has seen 1,440 players, age between 17 and 19 in 80 teams competing across the country. Now the top ten teams have reached the Grand Finals in Kuala Lumpar, which Moses attended.
