Global "Line Up Live Up" Initiative Goes Local with Roll Out in Kyrgyzstan's Provinces

The implementation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's sports-oriented life skills training curriculum "Line Up Live Up" has recently taken a new step forward in Kyrgyzstan with its roll out in the country's provinces.

"UNODC's support is very timely given that 2018 has been marked as the Year for the Development of Regions in Kyrgyzstan", noted Kanat Amankulov, Director of the State Agency for Youth, Physical Education and Sports at a ceremony, held on 28 May 2018, during which UNODC handed over sports equipment for 21 new pilot schools.

The "Line Up Live Up" training curriculum is geared towards strengthening the life skills of youth and increasing their resilience to crime, violence and drug use. In April this year, UNODC trained and certified 26 sports coaches from the southern regions of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken who will now work with over 400 young people to increase their ability to interact with others, to develop positive relationships, and to cope with negative emotions.

"Line Up Live Up increases young people's knowledge on crime, violence and drug use, including their perception of risk", said Koen Marquering, UNODC's Program Coordinator in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital. "The program uses sports to positively influence attitudes and prevent anti-social and risky behaviour", he added.

The roll out in the south of the country follows a pilot launched in Bishkek and its surrounding area in 2017 with the certification of 40 sports coaches and physical education teachers and the implementation of the "Line Up Live Up" curriculum involving over 400 teenagers in 21 secondary schools and other sports and educational facilities.

The "Line Up Live Up" Program can be run in sports centres, schools (either as curricular or extra-curricular sports activities) and other community settings. For this purpose, UNODC has developed a manual to assist coaches, trainers, youth workers and other professionals working with young people to deliver sports-based training exercises to males and females from 13 to 18 years of age. The manual is available in Russian and is expected to be published in Kyrgyz language later this year.

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For more information,

Please contact Ms. Vasilina Brazhko

National Communication/PR Officer at UNODC

Tel. +996 312 32 17 32; +996 775 98 78 17

e-mail: vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org