Special Feature: IOC and UN trying to spread Peace through sports
Sports not only serves the purpose of entertaining people but they actually serve as a powerful tool for change. If you take a moment to look behind the glamorous side of sports, you will see that it can be used as an effective tool in the development sector.
In this regard, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon paid a recent visit to the head quarters of International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Mr. Ban Ki-moon was received by IOC President, Jacques Rogge. The meeting between
the two leaders was held on Tuesday, January 25.
The joint activities of United Nations and International Olympic Committee were on the meeting agenda. The two leaders reviewed the role of sports as a tool for peace in 2010 Season and also discussed other aspects of development through sports.
The president of IOC, Rogge talked to media after meeting. He stated: “The UN Secretary General and I had a very good meeting that allowed us to review the numerous programmes that have been jointly activated, and discussed issues of mutual concern. As a
global sports organisation, the IOC has the moral duty to place sports at the service of humanity. This mission was reconfirmed by the Olympic Congress held in 2009 in Copenhagen, where the Secretary General gave a very inspiring speech. "We are proud to be
a part, through sport, of the international community’s efforts to achieve the MDGs. These goals have been identified by the UN as some of the world’s most pressing issues that require the support and involvement of everyone. We look forward to continuing
our collaboration in 2011 and beyond.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) attended the UN General Assembly meetings as an observer in 2010, which was a great honour for IOC. The IOC was given this exclusive opportunity to make presence at the General Assembly meetings in October 2009.
The two organisations share a long term relationship and IOC has helped UN to achieve its Development Goals through sports. The IOC joined hands with different partners and implemented sports-activities all over the globe. Education, environment, gender equality,
peace-building, the fight against HIV/AIDS and humanitarian assistance were some of joint ventures of IOC and UN, which successfully achieved desired results.
Recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched a three-year sport and education programme in collaboration with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The programme was designed to benefit some 8’500 Namibian refugees, who were living in the
Osire refugee camp. The sport activities provided a fair chance to the deprived refugees and put a smile on their faces. The physical sport helped alleviate many of their problems such as teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and most importantly sexually transmitted
infections.
The IOC and UN launched other campaigns like ‘Together we can stop HIV and AIDS’, which was carried out during the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. A similar campaign was conducted during the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last year. It was a major
success as it attracted huge number of young athletes.
Likewise, the two organisations have planned many other projects for the future. Different campaign will be carried out across the world. The UN and IOC are very concerned about the athletes of Palestine and Israel. Joint efforts are being put to bring
them together at international events like London 2012 Olympic Games. The United Nations has appreciated the great work of International Olympic Committee to make all these events happen.
Such sport campaigns and projects will surely bring a positive change and make the world a healthy place.
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