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"I’m delighted to welcome Ghana as the latest country to the International Inspiration programme – through this we will be reaching out to and inspiring thousands more children and young people to go beyond their personal best."

Ghana has become the latest country to benefit from International Inspiration, the ground-breaking international legacy programme of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

International Inspiration Ghana was officially launched on Friday 18 November at the British Council office in Accra where a memorandum of understanding was officially signed by the Ghanaian Minister of Education Betty Mould-Iddrissu, and the Minister of Youth & Sports, Clement Kofi Humado and the British High Commissioner.

International Inspiration is London 2012’s official international sports legacy programme and is bringing to life the promise made by the London 2012 bid team where they pledged to reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport. The delivery partners for the programme are the British Council, UNICEF UK and UK Sport.

The agreement was signed in front of students from 20 schools in Ghana and the UK who are linked by the British Council thanks to International Inspiration. To mark the launch young people from the International Inspiration schools who have been empowered to become ‘Young Leaders’ acted out short plays that demonstrated the power of sport to unite people across schools and communities. The performances were organised in association with the Beckwith International Leadership Development (BILD) programme, which is supporting International Inspiration in Ghana.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: "Sport has always been an essential part of my life and I know the benefits it can bring to someone’s life. That’s why I’m delighted to welcome Ghana as the latest country to the International Inspiration programme – through this we will be reaching out to and inspiring thousands more children and young people to go beyond their personal best."

International Inspiration will work in partnership with the Ghanaian government, BILD and other local organizations. The programme is supported by a unique partnership of organizations including UK Sport, UNICEF and the British Council.

International Inspiration is delivering on its international legacy promise a year earlier than planned and, having already achieved its vision of reaching 12 million children and young people around the world, will now focus on ensuring the programme is sustainable and will leave a lasting legacy in these countries after the final year of the programme in 2014.