World Rugby Brings Children Closer Together

World Rugby Brings Children Closer Together

Dunedin (Friday, 13 May):

Small cardboard cut-out Rugby players will soon be winging their way across the world from Dunedin as local schools get involved in Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011).

Several schools are taking part in a literacy and cultural programme designed by the DCC to connect children here to their counterparts in the six countries which will have Rugby teams playing in Dunedin during RWC 2011.

A class letter is being written with information about Dunedin, their school and their lives here, and is being sent with a class of cardboard Rugby players which the children have coloured on one side in All Black uniforms.

Their overseas counterparts will send the players back with their national Rugby uniform on the other side, together with a reply about their lives and country.

DCC Communications Officer, Fiona Clarkson, says the project aims to do two things: combine literacy with learning about another culture directly; and give local kids a personal interest in the teams playing in their city.

The six countries coming to play games in Dunedin are: Argentina, England, Romania, Georgia, Ireland and Italy.

Participating schools so far are: St Clair School, Mornington School and Macandrew Bay School.

The programme complements the wider national education programme developed by Tournament Organisers RNZ 2011, the New Zealand Rugby Union, NZ 2011 and endorsed by the Ministry of Education.

Through this national programme every primary and intermediate student in the country will receive a RWC 2011 Activity Book to facilitate classroom learning around the Tournament. Otago students will also receive a local booklet detailing the region’s involvement.

The media are invited to visit St Clair School, 135 Richardson St, at 2.45pm today for a picture opportunity of four senior class taking part in this project.

ends

© Scoop Media