A special addition to Australia Day celebrations

Participants of the inaugural Australian Scholar-Athlete Games will participate in Australia’s biggest national holiday tomorrow (January 26).

Scholar-athletes from 12 different nations will join in the Australia Day celebrations on January 26, 2006.

Students from as far away as China and Oman will march in the “Visions of Australia” Australia day parade as a special addition to the festivities.

The scholar-athletes will wave banners they made throughout the week to add special colour and an international flavour to the march as well as a body percussion performance to entertain the crowds.

Participants will share and learn about the different cultures that make up Australia by participating in the parade which represents community involvement, cultural diversity and the promotion of social tolerance.

The Australian Scholar Athlete Games (January 23-29) brings together almost 100 students from across the Asia Pacific region to participate in a program of sport, culture and education.

The Games are a first for the southern hemisphere and aim to promote understanding, acceptance and friendship among the youth of the world and cultivate Asia Pacific’s future world leaders.

The program is being delivered in partnership between the Queensland Government, the University of Queensland and the Institute for International Sport with a view to Queensland hosting the World Scholar-Athlete Games in 2008.

Media contact: Kelly Chapman on 0412 066 466.