Learn to Play sessions in ice hockey are designed to grow the sport ©Getty Images

The International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) development department and its Asia and Oceania office organised two "Learn to Play" programmes in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

Fifteen IIHF member nations took part, with 28 instructors involved in all.

Learn to Play has the aim of growing ice hockey globally by teaching coaches how to run successful sessions back home.

"We are back, and we will work more structured and systematically than ever before for a better and natural growth in the Asia and Oceania region," said Aivaz Omorkanov, the IIHF vice-president for Asia and Oceania.

"This new start will enable us to either kick-start, consolidate or build a stronger foundation in many areas." 

The IIHF Strategy ICE26 has Learn to Play included as a key project.

"The IIHF's major goal is to put its members in the position to run this programme themselves in any environment," said IIHF development director Kalle Valiaho. 

"By providing and educating the member national associations (MNAs) with the experience and proven components of this platform, the IIHF is making strides in implementing the new IIHF MNA developer programme, which aims to equip all MNAs with the tools and resources they need to build their own ice hockey development programmes nationally."