World Aquatics launched Discover Water, a programme focused on promoting aquatic participation and water safety globally, today in Paris on the eve of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

There to help launch the scheme were Olympic 50m freestyle swim champions in 2016, Anthony Ervin, of the United States, and Pernille Blume, the Danish sprinter who lives in France with her partner Florent Manandou, the London 2012 50m free champion who will service as one of France's flag bearers at the opening in Paris tomorrow.

Discover Water was baptised in the municipal Piscine Gerard Durant in Clichy just a short distance from the Paris 2024 Aquatics Centre.

World Aquatics noted: "Discover Water is particularly aimed at children aged 6 to 12, but its educational tools and learnings can serve to benefit individuals of all ages. To maximise the potential and the reach of the Discover Water programme, World Aquatics will adopt a collaborative approach with National Federations to execute activations."

Speaking at today’s launch event, the president of World Aquatics Husain Al-Musallam said:

“World Aquatics and our 210 National Federations remain committed to working with the entire aquatics family to promote water safety and reduce the risk of drowning, and this initiative is just one of the many steps we are taking. For this programme to be sustainable and effective, it is so important to target young children aged from 6 to 12 to develop their aquatic literacy and equip them with key education and skills to enjoy and experience the water.

“I am proud to be here on World Drowning Prevention Day to launch the Discover Water programme. Aquatics should bring joy to people and enrich their lives, and we are confident that this programme will give more people the confidence to safely engage in aquatics.”

Working with its partners, World Aquatics has developed a toolkit including a Guidebook and Playbook. The toolkit is designed to provide educators and coaches with the resources needed to effectively implement the programme and promote holistic development in aquatic education.

The launch event was held jointly with the Fédération Française de Natation (FFN), celebrating its drowning prevention initiative 1,2,3 Nagez while the spotlight is on France for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.