Over 200 pupils from 10 primary schools in Hangzhou will set off an additional "cultural plus sports" journey before the new semester, thanks to a public welfare program initiated by the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Organizing Committee (HACOG).
The program, starting from April 2018, was originally designed to help children realize their football dreams, offering free football training equipment, online football training courses, and chances of free summer camps and friendly matches. Over 2,300 students have benefitted from a football summer camp in August 2019.
This year, the HACOG upgraded the program to expand the coverage. "We changed its name from 'Football Dream Camp' to 'Asian Games Dream Camp', hoping to build a greater stage for kids with passion for the Asian Games," said Chen Huan, chief of the program.
According to the HACOG, the camp will gather students at weekends in September to visit local cultural sites including historic sites of the Liangzhu culture some 5,000 years ago and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to take in the rich history of the host city and see changes the Asiad has brought to it.
They will also be taken to the Games venues and have a try in fencing, shooting, golf, baseball and other sports.
1,371 schools nationwide have applied to be part of the welfare program since its launch, and the HACOG hopes to bring the Asian Games and sports closer to more students as the Games are ready for its two-year countdown on September 10.