IWC and Laureus part 6

Or, as Nelson Mandela once so succinctly expressed it: “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. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers.” Underprivileged children interact with sport’s stars Academy members were already close to their public while still active. Today, they maintain this closeness by regularly visiting projects organised by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. By doing so, they give the projects public significance and at the same time indicate to the children and adolescents involved that they are being supported by society. At the same time, these encounters with the stars leave a lasting, positive impression on the young people. Any youngster who has had a chance to run against Edwin Moses, play tennis with Boris Becker or kick a football with Bobby Charlton is not going to forget it in a hurry. In the short time that IWC Schaffhausen has been involved with Laureus, Georges Kern has spoken to many of the Academy members. And he hears the same sentiment repeated time and time again – “I’d like to give back something for everything that sport has given me.”

This explains why the Laureus sporting legends are prepared to donate their time to travel around the world each year doing what they can to support the various projects. The book “Let the Children Play” IWC Schaffhausen has conceived and produced a unique book called “Let the Children Play” in collaboration with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The high quality coffee table book with powerful iconic photographic images and on-the-ground reports will generate greater awareness of the mission of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which uses sport as a vehicle for social change in deprived communities. Facts on the book “Let the Children Play”, is a hard cover coffee table book, published by IWC in English and contains 276 pages. The book can be ordered over the internet at www.iwc.com or www.laureus.com It is non-profit making and part of the proceeds will go towards the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Laureus, was set up in 1999 by Founding Patrons Daimler Chrysler (today Daimler) and Richemont, and represented by their brands of choice, Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen. In 2008 Vodafone, the world’s leading mobile telecommunications company, entered into a five year agreement to support Laureus as a new Global Partner.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation supports underprivileged young people in over 65 community projects on every continent. It’s work also includes honouring the very best sportsmen and sportswomen in the world at the Laureus World Sports Awards every year. Every one of those projects utilises sport as the vehicle for social change. Laureus World Sports Academy At the heart of Laureus is the Laureus World Sports Academy, a unique association of the greatest sporting legends. The Academy members, who between them account for 100 Olympic medals, about half of them gold, 100 world titles and 200 world records, share a belief in the power of sport to break down barriers, bring people together and to improve the lives of young people around the world. The Laureus World Sports Academy is the ultimate sports jury, voting each year to decide the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards and acting as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, volunteering their time to visit projects in order to draw attention to the problems afflicting society today.