Skateistan wins Peace and Sport Award in Monaco

Skateistan is the first skateboarding school in Afghanistan. It engages urban youth through skateboarding and focuses on education, cross-cultural interaction, public health, social development, and creating opportunities for girls.

Australian skateboarder Oliver Percovich started Skateistan with nothing more than some used skateboards and a dream. The program changed the lives of many poor children in Kabul by giving them opportunities to teach skateboarding for money, whereas many of them had been begging in the streets. The kids started out skating busted, empty fountains, but today, Skateistan has an indoor skatepark that's the largest indoor sports facility in Kabul.

This program is having a profound impact on young girls in Afghanistan — skateboarding is the only public sport available to girls. And, they don't just teach skateboarding:

They will develop skills in skateboarding, skateboarding instruction, healthy habits, civic responsibility, information technology, the arts, and languages. The students themselves decide what they want to learn; we connect them with teachers who will enable them to develop the skills that they consider important.

Having changed so many childrens' lives so quickly, Skateistan so much deserves this award for promoting peace through sport:

Skateistan has been given the award for best non-governmental organization of the year in Monaco by the Peace and Sport Forum. In the presence of H.S.H Prince Albert II, Skateistan Executive Director Oliver Percovich received the award from Peace and Sport Director and former world champion Joel Bouzou. The 3rd annual forum and award ceremony was organized by the "Organization for Peace through Sport."

Skateistan.org: Skateistan wins the Peace and Sport NGO of the Year Award in Monaco