The 2025 Dream Program on Jan. 6 will begin in Pyeongchang-gun County and Gangneung in Gangwon-do Province (State) to help youth athletes from countries with few opportunities in winter sports to experience both the sports and Korean culture. Shown is a group of skaters from last year’s program.
By Lee Dasom
Photos: PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation
The 2025 Dream Program from Jan. 6 will offer a winter sports experience to youth athletes from countries that offer limited opportunities in such events.
Hosted by the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation and Gangwon-do Province (State), the program will be held in and around Pyeongchang-gun County and Gangneung in Gangwon-do.
Approximately 120 youth athletes from 27 countries including Mexico, Nepal and African countries will participate in this year’s edition.
Designed to boost international youth exchange and expand the winter sports base, the Dream Program invites such athletes from countries with limited access to winter sports and those deemed to have outstanding potential to train in such events and experience Korean culture.
Since its launch in 2004, the program has seen 166 of its 2,660 participating athletes from 100 countries compete in global competitions.
This year, four alpine and four cross-country skiers who finished the program will compete in the world championships of their respective sports organized by FIS, competitive skiing’s world governing body.
Slated from Jan. 6-19, the event will also feature Malaysian national figure skater Julian Yee, a 2009 alumnus of the program, as a guest instructor, who will teach his techniques and know-hows.
Participants will not only train in winter sports by sport but also experience Korean culture such as K-pop cover dance, taekwondo and the percussion music show “Nanta.”
This is the promotional poster of the 2025 Dream Program.
dlektha0319@korea.kr
