World’s Largest Swimming Lesson takes in 600 locations
In June, thousands of children at more than 600 locations in 27 countries from Australia to Zimbabwe (via Bahrain, Brazil, Panama and Poland), came together to help spread an important safety message in their communities: “swimming lessons save lives”.
The 8th Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) took place at waterparks, community pools and swim schools across the world, providing kids and parents with exposure to life-saving water safety skills, while building awareness about the vital importance of learning to swim and parental vigilance to help prevent drowning.
Diverse cultures
“Seeing so many kids from so many different cultures, all focused on this same mission is really inspiring,” says Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic gold medallist and champion for the WLSL event.
“The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is a perfect way to engage with the community and help people understand how crucially important it is to learn how to float, roll-over, recover your breath and swim to an exit to prevent drowning.”
Since its inception in 2010, almost 200,000 children and adults have participated in WLSL lessons. By 2019, organisers hope to make more than one billion people fully aware of the importance of enrolling children in swim lessons.
The next WLSL will take place on June 21, 2018.
