SPORT’S CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY KNOWS NO BORDERS In view of sport’s role as a lever for social change throughout the world and the universal appeal of the Games, the Paris 2024 strategy is also being developed at international level. Together with the Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency – AFD), Paris 2024 has created an INCUBATOR TO HELP ATHLETES championing social and environmental projects in France and Africa. This partnership will also see calls for projects issued on a regular basis (starting in July 2021) in order to SUPPORT INITIATIVES IN AFRICA AND HAITI. 26 ATHLETES and 26 PROJECTS in the inaugural programme PROJECTS IN 11 COUNTRIES (France, Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, Senegal, Kenya, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Democratic Republic of the Congo) 8 MONTHS OF SUPPORT (February to September 2021) A SECOND EDITION will be launched in February 2022 2021 incubator programme PARIS 2024 OPEN GAMES PARIS 2024 39 Sarah Hanffou Franco-Cameroonian table tennis player Objective: to increase opportunities for girls to participate in sport through a programme aimed at developing table tennis as an extracurricular activity accessible to all children. " In order to keep my project going in the longer term, I needed a regular source of support. That is precisely what the incubation programme will provide. Within this group of people, I have found all the ingredients that helped me enjoy a successful career in sport: a competitive spirit, supervision and training, and a desire to meet objectives. With a new coach and new team-mates, it feels like I’m setting off in pursuit of medals again!" ©Adam Hester/Getty Images