The student volunteer organization "KEIO 2020 project" was selected as a Host Town Contributor of Merit for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and presented with a letter of appreciation by Tamayo Marukawa, the Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games at an online ceremony held on September 28.
Letters of appreciation are presented to organizations and individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their efforts as Host Towns in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The "KEIO 2020 project" is a student-led volunteer organization, formed in 2016 under the Institute of Physical Education when Yokohama City, Kawasaki City, and ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app were selected to be training camps ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the British national team. Through their activities they strove to lay the groundwork to support Team GB and ParalympicsGB during their stay at ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app. Due to the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease), their originally-planned activities were severely restricted, but they were able to create videos welcoming Team GB and ParalympicsGB to the training camp, provide messages of support via origami placed in each athlete's room and the open space, set up chat rooms for athletes to cope with movement-related restrictions, and offer other various and creative forms of support for the team.
In response to these efforts, many British athletes and affiliated officials took to social media to share their happiness and appreciation. In addition, after the Games, the KEIO 2020 project planned and held an online cultural exchange event with ParalympicsGB athletes and ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app Yokohama Elementary School students in which 400 viewers participated despite the event being held in the evening, facilitating an opportunity for participants to experience the joys of international exchange.
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Cultural Exchange Event Held with ParalympicsGB Athlete and ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app Yokohama Elementary School Students