UNAOC High Representative Highlights Sport as a Vector for Peace at a Special Event in the Lead Up to the Paris Olympic Games

Paris, 25 July   – UNAOC participated in the United by Sports Forum, organized by Sport Dans La Ville and Global Sports Week within the context of Festival24, which  took place in the lead– up to Paris 2024. This event, focused on social inclusion and gender equality, bringing together young leaders, athletes, and representatives from various sports organizations. 

H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, addressed the event and emphasized  the crucial role that major sports organizations play in supporting local policies to foster social inclusion and gender equality. He shared insights from the UNAOC #One Humanity Campaign, underscoring  sport “as a catalyst to strengthen diversity, inclusion and mutual respect.” 

“More than just physical competition, sport is a universal language that transcends cultural, social, and political boundaries. It is a force that brings people together, with the unique ability to foster diversity, mutual respect, and social cohesion,” he said. 

Mr. Moratinos further illustrated UNAOC initiatives that leverage the power of sport for promoting diversity and inclusion worldwide. 

“In the spirit of the Olympic Truce, UNAOC has underpinned sport as a crucial tool in fulfilling its mandate of building social inclusion and bringing together people from diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicities,” he added. 

Other distinguished speakers included H.E. Ms. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sports of France, and featured key players in the sport for development sector. Among the distinguished guests was Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mr. Muhammad Yunus, who celebrated  the values of sport as a tool for both individual and collective development.

The Forum convened  prominent athletes, sporting event organizers, brands, and representatives from the International Olympic Committee, who engaged in discussions about the transformative power of sport and reaffirmed their shared goal of using sport as a means to achieve greater social cohesion and equity.