Baku 2015 welcomes first Games Academy graduates

Baku, July 23 (AzerTAc). The Baku 2015 European Games Academy welcomed the first participants of its innovative Graduate Excellence Programme to Baku this week. Forty five graduates have joined in the first intake of the programme, with 38 coming from Azerbaijan and seven from countries across Europe including Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey. Around 150 more graduates will join the programme between August and October. The Games Academy was established by Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC) and the Azerbaijan Youth Foundation, and aims to develop the skills and Games knowledge of Azerbaijani team members, as well as supporting the development of university graduates through the Graduate Excellence Programme. The graduate programme begins with three weeks of intensive training, after which participants will move into roles within BEGOC and have real responsibility for planning and delivering aspects of the inaugural European Games, for up to one year. Mr Gavin McAlpine, Director of Operational Capability and Readiness at Baku 2015, who has responsibility for the Games Academy, said: “I am delighted to welcome the first participants of the Baku 2015 Graduate Excellence Programme to BEGOC to begin their training. “The programme has attracted large numbers of young people with high potential and I am confident that they will bring energy and innovative thinking to the organization as we develop our plans for the first ever European Games.” The programme is supported by a number of partners including Exclusive Official Partner, BP. It also draws on support from leading academic institutions including the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS) based in Lausanne, Switzerland, ADA University in Baku, and the International Olympic Academy (IOA) based in Athens, Greece, as well as American consultancy firm Broadstone. Graduate Excellence Programme participant Ms Narmin Mansurova, from Azerbaijan, said: “The programme offers graduates from Azerbaijan a unique opportunity to gain experience of working in an international environment. “I am sure that the skills and knowledge which I, and the other Azerbaijani graduates develop, will assist our nation’s capability to host future major international events.” Mr Akif Yazici, from Turkey, said: “I am proud to have been accepted on the Baku 2015 Graduate Excellence Programme and to begin my training this week. “This is a fantastic opportunity within the world of sport for graduates from across Europe, and I already feel that I am going to be involved with a very special and unique event.” Mr Besim Aliti, from Croatia, said: “This is my first time working abroad, and being involved with such a multi-cultural organization is very interesting to me. “Working alongside my fellow graduates and the experienced team at Baku 2015, I am looking forward to helping deliver what will be a memorable and historic European Games.” A limited number of places on the Graduate Excellence Programme are still available for talented and motivated individuals who graduated between 2011 and 2014, with the application process open until Friday 1 August. Applications can be made here: www.facebook.com/baku2015gamesacademy. Baku 2015 will be the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative new multi-sport event for the continent that will take place from June 12 until June 28 2015. There will be a total of 19 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and three non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes are expected to represent their nations over the 17 days of competition. Nine of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics in 2016. Those sports include archery, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and triathlon. Baku was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012. The Baku European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC) will organize and run the Games in co-operation with the EOC.