"It's important to encourage gender equality and empower girls through sport" - PT Usha on her visit to the Mumbai-based Magic Bus Project.

Mumbai is all set to host the 141st IOC session, the general meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee. This event marks only the second time that an IOC session has been held in India. Several top dignitaries of the IOC, including Nawal El Moutawakel, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have already arrived in Mumbai ahead of the much-awaited event.

El Moutawakel won the first 400m hurdles final for women in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics; her win also marked the first gold medal for a Moroccan athlete and a Muslim woman. The Moroccan athlete has always been a trailblazer, and she continued this passion for sport by founding the Laureus World Sports Academy.

While on her ongoing visit to the city, in her role as founding member, Nawal El Moutawakel marked International Day of the Girl on October 11 with a visit to the Mumbai-based Magic Bus Project. She was accompanied by fellow academy member and former pole vaulter Sergey Bubka and Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha.

The Magic Bus project was the recipient of the Sport for Good Award at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards. The project has been operational since 1999 and has been dedicated to providing education, opportunities, and a pathway out of poverty to children and young people across India. Laureus Sport for Good and Magic Bus have a longstanding partnership in India, and the Foundation has supported the project since its inception in 2001.

El Moutawakel and PT Usha’s visit was not only a gesture of goodwill but also a means to spread the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect in anticipation of the upcoming IOC session in Mumbai later this week.

Reflecting on her visit, Nawal El Moutawakel shared her inspiration, stating,

"I'm inspired to witness the incredible work done by Magic Bus. What they have achieved in opening up educational opportunities for young girls and boys is changing lives. The International Day of the Girl is all about empowerment and the strive for gender equality. A project like Magic Bus is helping to make that a reality within underserved communities."

The significance of the visit was further emphasized by Magic Bus CEO Jayant Rastogi, who highlighted the organization's mission, saying:

“With high rates of out-of-school youth in India, especially young girls, our mission to provide education and life skills to young people across the country. This mission embodies so many of Laureus’ own values. We share the belief that sport has the power to change the world – every day we see the impact it can have on improving the lives of children and young people in need.”

International Day of the Girl is an important global initiative, and it was heartening to see the commitment of IOA President PT Usha, who stated,

"Today is the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child. It's important to encourage gender equality and empower girls through sport, and I've had a great time."

Iconic Indian sports stars' association adds more value

El Moutawakel and PT Usha engaging with the children

The visit to the Magic Bus is part of a broader effort by Laureus to harness the power of sports for good, and India plays a significant role in this mission.

The presence of iconic Indian sports stars like Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar in the Laureus Academy underlines India's growing reputation as a global sports hub. This reputation is further enhanced by the ongoing ICC Cricket Men's World Cup, a monumental event taking place in 10 different stadiums across 10 cities in India.

With India’s rise in the sporting world, it is great to see such initiatives and events like the IOC’s general meeting take place in the country, and such monumental events off the field are something that will definitely add to the country’s progression in the field of sport.