PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – ExxonMobil PNG (EMPNG) contributed K137,000 to the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) for the soon-to-be launched "Olympic Values Education Program".
The PNGOC's "Olympic Values Education Program" (OVEP) aims to promote the role of sport in society and the Olympic values of Respect, Friendship and Excellence.
The OVEP will also include some of the PNGOC's signature program including the Love Your Coast PNG program which uses sporting heroes as role models to promote and advocate proper waste management practices such as reducing litter in public sports facilities and understanding the impact of plastic products on the marine environment.
A series of community activities and education awareness are proposed to be conducted in Port Moresby and surrounding areas in the latter part of the year.
As part of the program athletes will also, visit schools to conduct educational presentations, interactive sessions and cleanup activities through the use of an "education station" - a purpose-built portable educational unit in the form of a modified 20-foot shipping container.
The container has multiple uses as a museum-style display, event base, portable classroom, outdoor movie screening unit, mobile billboard display and workshop facility.
Auvita Rapilla, Secretary General of the PNGOC says athletes and educators have delivered presentations for the Love Your Coast program including a series of clean-up activities that has reached more than 7,500 people since 2012 and the OVEP is an extension of this.
"It is a timely initiative that will draw Papua New Guinean leading sportsmen and women to be engaged and champion it."
"ExxonMobil has been a great partner of the Love Your Coast program in the past and given the Company's focus on education driven initiatives, this partnership made sense" said Rapilla.
She said EMPNG first supported the Love Your Coast program in 2012 which earned the PNGOC, the International Olympic Committee's Sport and Environment Award (Oceania) in 2013.
EMPNG, Managing Director, Andrew Barry said effective waste management programs were integral to EMPNG's business and core value to operate in an environmentally responsible manner.
"Papua New Guinea is one of the most beautiful and unique places on earth, and we are deeply committed to preserving the environment and its cultural heritage," Barry said.
Barry said he believes that teaching children and young adults about the importance of values of respect, friendship and excellence is an important responsibility for us all.
The OVEP is scheduled to be launched in early 2016.