The 1st Asia Pacific Outgames is coming to Melbourne 30 January-3 February, 2008. This multi-event gay and lesbian sporting contest will be staged during Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival.
Volunteers from the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames organising team have been spreading the word, attending a number of Gay and Lesbian events in the region to help promote the Outgames and invite Gay and Lesbian sport lovers and the broader community to come and ‘play with your neighbours’ in Melbourne in 2008. Now, they need champions in the community to spread the word even further.
As a volunteer based organisation Melbourne Outgames Inc (MOI) would like to appoint specific ambassadors in major cities across Australia and throughout the Asia Pacific region. These ‘Champions’ as they will be known, will help to volunteer their time in the following way;
- Regularly liaise with sporting clubs and athlete officials in their home city
- Provide important updates to the above network
- Assist is setting up future promotional and education events in the lead up to the Outgames
- Work closely with MOI’s appointed Communications Director (responsible for generating publicity) and Marketing Director (overseeing more commercial activities) to maximize opportunities in media in your area
- Help to coordinate/educate the registration process when it goes on line
- Generally hype and keep the dream alive in your home town!
WHAT’S TO PROMOTE?
The answer: heaps. The Outgames will include multi-sport tournaments (iBadminton, Dancesport, Field Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, Running, Swimming, Ten Pin Bowling, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo), a cultural component and a human rights conference. In addition, a vast number of free and ticketed events will occur as part of the Midsumma Festival, including the Pride March.
The organising body for the Outgames has already secured the world-class Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC), as one of the major venue hubs for the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames. This state of the art venue recently hosted water polo and diving for the 12th FINA World Championships and was home to aquatics, squash and other events for the Commonwealth Games in 2006. The venue is Australia’s leading sport and recreation facility, and has an Aquatics area that is world-class, Sports Stadiums and dry-court facilities that are amongst the worlds best and a number of multi-purpose function areas that will be sure to impress.
Melbourne and its thriving Gay and Lesbian community are looking forward to welcoming participants and their friends from across Australia and the Asia Pacific region including New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and many other countries.
Registration for the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames, Melbourne 2008 is to commence in August 2007 and regular updates will be available on www.melbourneoutgames.org and via the Club Melbourne eNewsletter which can be subscribed to directly from the website.
I WANT TO BE A CHAMPION
Please send an email to champions@melbourneoutgames.org and pledge your Gold medal performance to the biggest sporting and culture event to be staged in this region since 2002. All ‘Champions’ will be recognised and listed for their part in staging the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames Melbourne 2008.
