We are pleased to announce that the 1252 Project, an initiative promoted by the company Never Stop Playing Sports (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hanae Ito), has been selected as an example of innovative initiatives for the Olympism365 Innovation Hub, a collaboration between the IOC, Beyond Sport and Women Win.
Olympism365 Innovation Hub is a collaboration between the IOC, Beyond Sport and Women Win that supports pioneering initiatives using sports to contribute to a sustainable society. This year, five projects were selected as Ignite365 innovators from around the world were selected ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the 1252 Project recognized as the one of five .
The 1252 Project is not only working with athletes to tackle issues related to menstrual conditioning for female athletes. It is also challenging to change the social norms in Japan that discourage women from publicly discussing their menstrual problems, aiming to create a society where women feel comfortable talking about their health and menstruation. The 1252 Project, which also takes on the challenge of changing gender norms in Japan and Asia, was recognized as an innovative and advanced example of what the Olympism365 Innovation Hub aims to achieve.
In the future, the IOC, Beyond Sport, and Women Win will continue to support and develop the Project through investment funding and knowledge and exchange. We are grateful for the exposure our 1252 Project is receiving through this opportunity, and we hope to further expand our efforts to support the growth of student athletes.
The Olympism365 Innovation Hub is a collaboration between the International Olympic Committee (Ollie Dudfield, Associate Director, IOC Olympism365 ), Beyond Sport and Women Win designed to support a diverse community of innovators leading new and impactful approaches to sport for sustainable development that supports innovators who are driving new and influential approaches to sustainability through sport. The works with Beyond Sport (Fred Turner, Executive Director, Beyond Sport; Established: 2008) and Women Win (Nicole Matuska, GRLS Director; Established: 2006) to support innovative projects for women and networking with innovative leaders who are creating social change.
＜Beyond Sport＞
Beyond Sport is a global foundation that invests in communities, programs and partnerships that are creating a more progressive world through sport. Since 2008, the organization has raised more than $20 million to promote social change and has granted $9.5 million to 384 initiatives across 75 countries in addition to providing capacity-building support. For more information, visit beyondsport.org
＜Women Win＞
Women Win is a global multi-dimensional women’s fund advancing gender equity in and through sport and play, guided by the vision of a future where every girl and woman exercises their rights. For more information visit womenwin.org“
■Learn more about the other selected Ignite365 innovators here
■Comments
＜Hanae Ito: Representative Director of Never Stop Playing Sports＞
Thank you for your continued support.
＜Kota Mogami: Co-Representative Director of Never Stop Playing Sports＞
I am honored to have been selected as one of five organizations from around the world. At the same time, I feel a sense of responsibility since we are the only organization selected from Asia. The fact that our activities have been recognized suggests that the issues we are tackling are deep-rooted. With proud in the fact that our activities originated in Japan, we will continue to steadily pursue our activities on a global scale. Thank you very much.
＜ Nicole Matuska：GRLS Director of Women Win ＞
“Women Win congratulates the 1252 Project and Never Stop Playing Sports for their award, being recognised as an innovator at the intersection of sport and sustainable development, with a particular focus on women athletes and menstruation. We are excited to support and continue following their work.”
＜ Adam Burgess：Director of Programmes of Beyond Sport ＞
The 1252 Project by Never Stop Playing Sports is a perfect example of innovation in the space of sport for sustainable development. Beyond Sport is delighted to be able to amplify and support this impactful initiative through the Olympism365 Innovation Hub and our partnership with the IOC and Women Win. We are excited to follow their growth as they continue making a difference in the lives of many women athletes globally.
＜ Ollie Dudfield, IOC Olympism365 Associate Director＞
“The Ignite365 Awards celebrate innovators whose creative solutions use sport in new and impactful ways to address key challenges faced in their communities such as accessibility, inequality and discrimination, and plastic recycling. In doing so, the Ignite365 Awards aim to not only support their work but to inspire further innovation and collaboration.”
Never Stop Playing Sports is a movement launched in 2020 to support the growth of student athletes. Initially begun with volunteer activities, the movement was later formalized to establish the company Never Stop Playing Sports to continue to support young people to become independent through sports.
Never Stop Playing Sports has become a major movement, spreading mainly through social media, with leading Japanese athletes and experts endorsing the campaign. Over time, we have expanded the scope of our activities to include the development of online learning systems and joint research with educational institutions.
Through unique initiatives such as supporting the transition of sports to the local community and the 1252
Project on physiology and sports, we promote activities for the betterment of society through sports.
Menstruation, which occurs about 12 weeks out of a year (52 weeks), and the accompanying changes in physical condition are inevitable challenges for female athletes. For female athletes and their coaches who feel that they do not have the right information or a place for consultation, we offer a variety of programs, such as online contents and classes, to help them learn necessary information in a fun and informative way.
・Talk Up 1252: Top athletes’ experiences with menstruation
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=bVYoDobYa9I
・1252 Project official Instagram account “1252Playbook” – New textbook of menstruation and sports
https://www.instagram.com/1252project_english/
https://spo-tome.com/en/1252-2/
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