The Scholarship Outreach Program

Press Release: 26/03/2018

Contact: Thomas Mareau, presse@paris2018.com

 

The Scholarship Outreach Program of Gay Games

 

Paris 2018 – Gay Games 10 is a collaborative event that will welcome thousands of participants. The goal of the Paris 3028 organizers and the Federation of Gay Games is to ensure a sport, cultural, humanist, and festive event that is truly inclusive. With this goal of inclusion in mind, the Scholarship Outreach Program was launched.

Created in 2002 by the Federation of Gay Games, this Scholarship Outreach program provides financing the participation in the Gay Games for individuals in financial need. The project is supported by the Federation of Gay Games with 80,000 euros, and by the Paris 2018 Organizing Committee with 200,000 euros, and with support from the Paris 2018 Inclusion Foundation and two fundraising campaigns (crowdfunding on Fosburit platform and the charity Gala).

Since the Scholarship Outreach Program was created in 2002, 800 recipients have received scholarships. The goal of Paris 2018 is to have over 500 scholarship recipients for this single event, a formidable goal.

The 1st phase of the selection, finalized as of today, includes 164 recipients from 44 countries, who have been selected from over 700 candidates. Of particular note, the Paris 2018 team are pleased to welcome, for the first time at Gay Games, two participants from Egypt and Cuba. Among the 164 future participants, 83 are women, 73 are men, and 8 are trans*.

These individuals will be reimbursed, according to specific needs, for registration fees, as well as transportation and/or accommodation. For the first time in the history of the Gay Games, recipients will stay in a unique accommodation favoring exchange and dialogue with other participants: the International Residence, managed by the French Handisport Federation.

The 2nd phase of the selection will finish in March. This phase is dedicated to individuals residing in France. The Organizing Committee has decided to delegate the selection of the remaining beneficiaries to associations defending causes that are important to Paris 2018.

The goal of the Program is to provide a unique and enriching athletic and cultural experience to all scholarship recipients. To achieve this goal, different meetings and orientation events will be organized for the recipients, in addition to the planned sports and cultural events. The goal is to promote an openness to international cultures, and individual autonomy to enable each recipient to develop local clubs, associations, and projects in their own countries that will have a long-term impact.

 

ABOUT PARIS 2018 – GAY GAMES 10

The tenth edition of the Gay Games will take place in Paris from August 4 to 12, 2018. Created in 1982 and organized every four years, the Gay Games is the largest sporting and cultural event open to all over the age of 18, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability, but also without any requirements or elimination trials. Up to fifteen thousand participants are expected to take part, with a focus on the three guiding principles of the Gay Games: Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best®, with thirty-six sports, fourteen cultural events, a sports conferences, and several festivities.

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