Tenth Globeducate Global Olympics in Portugal Connects Young Students

Nobel Algarve British International School in Portugal´s Algarve region recently hosted the 10th Global Olympics, one of seven global events on the Globeducate annual calendar, and welcomed 200 students and 30 teachers from 25 international and bilingual schools from across the group.

The three-day competition, for students aged 9 to 13, took place in three locations, including the school's own campus, where basketball matches were held. Track and field events and additional football matches took place at a local sports stadium, while a beach was the venue for volleyball and team games, as well as leisure activities on an inflatables course in the sheltered bay.

Students travelled from Cyprus, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK to participate in this event, marking a return to in-person events after the previous year's online format due to the pandemic.

Abi Lewis, Head of School, expressed her delight at hosting the event and commended the students, teachers, and host families for their enthusiastic participation. The competition focused on fostering collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds, languages, and cultures, with teams comprising students from different schools. Abi Lewis also extended her gratitude to the Year 10 Nobel Algarve students who contributed as referees and mentors for the younger participants.

The event´s closing ceremony involved presentations, dance, art and music, and in her opening speech Abi Lews said:

“Our Global Olympics event is not only a celebration of athletic excellence across Globeducate schools but also a testament to the enduring Olympic values and to the Globeducate, mission is to prepare each student to be a global citizen and shape the world. The Olympic values represent a set of principles that go beyond the realm of sports. They encompass universal ideals that promote personal growth, social cohesion, and global harmony. Fostering these values in young people is essential as it cultivates a generation of individuals who are not only physically active but also morally upright, compassionate, and socially responsible.”

The closing ceremony, on Wednesday 7^th June, also featured an inspiring speech from British sprint track and field athlete Anyika Onuoa. Her illustrious career boasts an impressive collection of Commonwealth, European, World and Olympic medals; one of her most notable achievements being a vital member of the women´s 4 x 400m relay that clinched a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Anyika talked about resilience, and of her experience of battling life-threatening malaria 10 months before her Olympic campaign, and she has gone on to work to raise awareness of malaria and the devastating effect it has on communities.  In her new, inspirational autobiography she sheds light on the realities faced by black female athletes during the era of Black Lives Matter and the Me Too movement. Her belief in the power of trying and embracing the journey serves as a valuable reminder that persistence and self-belief are crucial to achieving our goals.

Daniel Jones, Chief Education Officer, said:

“It was fantastic to witness the high level of enthusiasm and engagement from students and to hear such encouraging and positive feedback from our teachers who worked with the students and also got to know new colleagues. We give special thanks to Nobel Algarve families who hosted Globeducate students from other countries, as without their support and warm welcome, the event simply would not have been such a success, or even possible.”

Some students shared their positive experiences of the event. Alessandro,11, from ICS Milan, Italy, praised the opportunity to make new friends and participate in various sports. He loved that the teams were mixed between schools, making it easier to make new friends.  Holly, 9, from Nobel Algarve British International School enjoyed the inflatables and playing football at the stadium, while Harry, 13, from Stonar School appreciated the kindness of the people he met and his enjoyment of football and basketball. Angela,12, from Coruña British International School cherished the warm welcome, ease of making friends, and expressed a desire to stay in touch with everyone she had met.

A teacher from Pascal Private English School Lefkosia, Cyprus, Nectaria Hadjisergis, lauded the passion and camaraderie exhibited by the students, considering it a fantastic experience for both teachers and students. She said: “Lovely, passionate students, loving the sports, loving being all together, creating new teams - taking it very seriously but having fun at the same time!”

Overall, the Global Olympics provided an unforgettable platform for international collaboration, for connecting young minds and spirits for a global perspective, and for the formation of lifelong memories for the participating students and teachers. Globeducate events are designed to inspire students to make a valuable contribution to the world. To read more about our Globeducate Events, click here.