As part of its grantprogramme forpostgraduateresearchers, the IOC'sOlympic Studies Centre(OSC) chose six researchprojects for theiracademic excellenceand their potential fordeveloping the OlympicMovement. The authorsof these projects willbenefit from a grant thatwill allow them toconsult the OSC'scollections (uniquecollections of more thanone million archiveddocuments, publications,official reports, photosand films). The results oftheir research should bepublished at the end ofthis year. The list of thecandidates and theirprojects can be found on www.olympic.org/university-relationsIOC President Jacques Rogge welcomed UnitedNations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to theIOC headquarters in Lausanne, where the twoleaders reviewed the joint activities that theorganisations had put in place in 2010 andreaffirmed their commitment to a number ofupcoming initiatives using sport as a tool for peace,education and development.The IOC and UN strengthened ties in 2010, withthe IOC attending for the first time the UN GeneralAssembly meetings as an observer. The decision bythe UN to grant the IOC UN observer status inOctober 2009 was a tribute to the longstandingpartnership between the two organisations and tothe IOC's contribution to the achievement of the UNMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) throughsport. Mario Pescante was since named as theIOC's Permanent Observer to the United Nations.Just recently, the IOC teamed up with the Officeof the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)to launch an ambitious three-year sport andeducation programme for some 8,500 youngpeople living in the Osire refugee settlement inNamibia. The programme is designed to involveyoung people in sports activities in order to alleviatesome of the major problems affecting them, namelyteenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infectionssuch as HIV, and drug abuse. Other commonactivities include the 'Together we can stop HIV andAIDS' campaign conducted during the OlympicWinter Games in Vancouver as well as the UNagency's strong involvement in the Culture andEducation Programme (CEP) put in place during thefirst Youth Olympic Games in Singapore lastsummer, which reached out to some 3,600 youngathletes and their entourage."The UN Secretary General and I had a goodmeeting that allowed us to review the numerousprogrammes that have been jointly activated, anddiscussed issues of mutual concern," PresidentRogge said after the meeting. "As a global sports organisation, the IOC hasthe moral duty to place sport at the service ofhumanity. This mission was reconfirmed by theOlympic Congress held in 2009 in Copenhagen,where the Secretary-General gave a very inspiringspeech. We are proud to be a part, through sport,of the international community's efforts to achievethe MDGs."Among upcoming projects are the joint effortsthat will be deployed to find solutions to easeaccess of Palestinian and Israeli athletes to sportingcompetitions and the adoption by the UN of theOlympic Truce Resolution for the London 2012Olympic Games.ISRAEL ANDPALESTINEOLYMPIC COMMITTEESMEET IN LAUSANNEUNDERIOCPATRONAGEIOC PRESIDENT MEETS WITH UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOONThe IOC hosted the first meeting between theNational Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Israel andPalestine aimed at addressing a number of outstand-ing sports-related issues. Both NOCs agreed to con-vene in Lausanne following IOC President JacquesRogge's visit to the Middle East last October.Led bythe IOC, the meeting was held in a very constructiveand cooperative spirit. The free movement ofPalestinian athletes, coaches, officials and sportsmaterial, as well as foreign visiting athletes, was discussed and a modus vivendi reached betweenthe two NOCs. The development of Palestinian sportwas also on the agenda. The IOC confirmed it wouldprovide experts to work on a long-term sports devel-opment strategy in Palestine to continue to assistnot only the athletes but also coaches and sportsadministrators, and to identify ways to better promotesport and its values at grassroots level. In the shortrun, priority will be given to assisting Palestinian athletes to take part in the Olympic Games in Londonnext year. The participation of Israeli athletes in international competitions was also discussed and allparticipants promised to use their influence whenpossible to address the issue.Below(left to right) Palestinian NOC PresidentMajor General Jibril Rajoub, IOC PresidentRogge, Israeli NOC President Zvi VarshaviakAboveIOC President Jacques Rogge and UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moonOLYMPIC REVIEW13NEWS INBRIEF