TTOC’s Lewis in Korea for diplomatic activities

TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis is in Seoul, South Korea, where he and nine other public figures worldwide were chosen to participate in a week of public diplomatic activities hosted by the Korea Foundation.

Lewis was nominated by the Korean Ambassador to TT, Moon Up Sung, and joined guests from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, selected on the basis of their influence in the arts, culture and sport, and those considered leaders and innovators. Influential figures and experts in sectors such as culture, academia, media, government and economics were also invited.

Lewis arrived last Sunday and will depart this Sunday.

“My nomination and selection for this programme came as a surprise,” he said in an interview with Newsday from Seoul. “To be honest, I was surprised by the amount of information they had on me. But I am honoured to represent the TT Olympic Committee and by extension, TT.”

He said the visit was “an awesome opportunity, and an honour and privilege.”

The Korea Foundation is a non-profit public diplomacy organisation established in 1991 to promote a better international understanding of Korea and strengthen diplomatic ties in the international community.

On Friday morning (local time), Lewis and other delegates visited the famous Korean demilitarised zone, a strip of land running across the Korean peninsula, which forms a buffer between North and South Korea.

The day before, he met with Lee Hee-beom, a South Korean politician and president of the Pyeongchang Organising Committee for the 2018 Winter Olympics, during which there were discussions on developing an exchange and access programme for young athletes in TT and South Korea. Exchange projects between South Korea and other nations are often developed through the Korea Foundation.

Lewis commented, “We have so gained a wonderful insight into Korean culture, history and values. The opportunity to explore potential areas of co-operation, collaboration between the TTOC (and TT Commonwealth Games Association), and the Korea Foundation, Korean Olympic Committee and the embassy of the Republic of Korea to TT is an opportunity that we at Olympic House TT appreciate.”

Lewis added that there was keen interest in Korea on hearing more about TTOC’s programmes, including Future is Female.

“I continue to advocate that sport in TT can make a positive difference, and can build in a positive way TT’s international image and credibility.”