Seb Coe today visited children at Oak Lodge School in Wandsworth to give a talk about his journey to being Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Parlympic Games, and launch a special week of Olympic and Paralympic figures giving talks in state schools and colleges.
The talk was introduced by BBC Business Editor Robert Peston who, through the charity Education and Employers Taskforce, set up the Speakers for Schools initiative to encourage leaders in their field to give talks for free in state schools and colleges.
This week senior London 2012 figures including Deputy Chair Sir Keith Mills, Director of HR Jean Tomlin, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Olympic gold medal winner Jonathan Edwards will give talks in schools that are part of the Get Set network (the official London 2012 education programme) in London, Edinburgh and Stockton-on-Tees.
Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: ‘When we went to Singapore in 2005 to bid for the Games, we emphasised the role that a London Games would play in inspiring young people. Speakers for Schools enables leading people in their sectors to share their experiences with young people to inspire them to aim high. This is very much in line with our own vision at London 2012 and I’m delighted to support this initiative.’
Robert Peston, BBC business editor and founder of Speakers for Schools said: ‘Speakers for Schools is all about encouraging school students to aim higher, to make the most of themselves, to equip themselves for the challenges of today’s world. Who better to inspire them than Lord Coe, a world beater, and the person who more than any other was responsible for bringing the Olympics to the UK?’
Over 750 people have accepted invitations and signed up to take part in Speakers for Schools including many leading CEOs, politicians, media and arts people, scientists, entrepreneurs and academics. They will address the big issues including technological, scientific, political, economic, historical, cultural, artistic, ecological and ethical.
Leading figures including; George Alagiah, Damon Buffini, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Sir Gus O’Donnell, Martha Lane Fox, Andy Haldane, Ed Miliband,Trevor Phillips, Lord Martin Rees and Sir Martin Sorrell, have already talked at a school since the launch in October.
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