Contributed by Cheryl Chong

Youth athletes from around the world will gather for the Singapore 2010 Friendship Camp (SFC) from 8 to 12 December. A total of 417 participants, comprising 262 student athletes from 130 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and 155 student athletes from Singapore, aged between 15 and 17, will learn about the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect and experience an exciting range of activities during the camp.

Athletes will get a sneak preview of what they can expect at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games next year through the exciting Culture and Education Programme (CEP) at the camp. The young athletes will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with well-known athletes like Michael Klim, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell and Dexter Lee during the Chat with Champions. They will also participate in a variety of interactive workshops, venture outdoors for an Island Adventure at Pulau Ubin and learn more about the environment.

The Singapore 2010 Friendship Camp will also celebrate the rich diversity of global cultures and arts, through the World Festival featuring an intriguing blend of sports and the arts, and a fusion of the East and West. In addition, participants will get to enjoy the sights and sounds of Singapore, through a Downtown Rendezvous to the distinctive cultural districts of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India.The youth athletes will also get to experience new sports including sepak takraw, pencak silat and tchoukball, and learn more about the elements of sports science in a fun and engaging manner, through a specially-tailored Sport Exploration Programme.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs, said, "In the spirit of Friends@YOG, local participants from the respective twinned schools will be both buddies and hosts to the NOC-participants. I encourage our young participants to foster new friendship bonds across borders grounded in true Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, and bring home their experiences to share with their fellow athletes."

Mr Goh Kee Nguan, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) said, "We are very happy to welcome the athletes to the Singapore 2010 Friendship Camp. It is an excellent opportunity for us to connect more young people to the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. I believe the participants will have memorable stories to share with their friends back at home and encourage others to join us in the journey towards the first YOG in August 2010."