The education systems in Andorra adapt to play an active part in the candidacy for the 2029 World Championships
The candidacy for the Andorra 2029 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships has impacted all the children in the country by way of the countries’ educational systems throughout the years that the project has been promoted, both for the 2027 bid and for the current bid. One of the most notable and overriding points in the argument is the legacy that the event would leave, whether that is in terms of environmental policies, mobility, inclusivity and accessibility, or in the facilities, among others. The candidacy has entered the classroom through different activities, for the children in the nursery to those in the third cycle of primary education in all three of the educational systems: the Andorran, Spanish and French systems. Specifically, between the 22nd of April and the 10th of May, the students painted the candidacy logo (representing the Avet and Àliga competition courses), they discovered writing in Braille and were introduced to sign language. In addition, they watched the short film 'Sorda’ (Deaf), a nominee for the Goya awards 2023, which is about the experiences of a girl suffering from this type of sensory disability.
The Marketing Director for the bid and project promoter in the schools, Elisabeth Pérez, explained that the aim of these actions was to "spread our mission with the little ones, with an educational objective and to raise social awareness". And she added: "You can make World Championships accessible and inclusive, but in the end what counts is the sum of everything we can do together, whether it’s the efforts from the institutions, from the private sector or from us as organisers of a sporting event." For her part, Marcella Armengol, Head of the Training, Teaching Resources and Innovation Area of the Ministry of Institutional Relations, Education and Universities of the Andorran Government, said that “it has been a very rewarding experience, especially in terms of socialising. The children from each school have got really involved, which has allowed them to learn other ways of communicating.”
The artistic activities with Andorra 2029 as the theme that were done by the children are on display in the schools.
This is the last candidacy initiative before the vote takes place in Reykjavík on the 4th of June to decide the venue for the 2029 World Championships.