The World Karate Federation (WKF) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) have signed a partnership agreement at the WKF headquarters in Madrid, strengthening their collaboration to promote inclusion, respect and peaceful coexistence through sport.
The agreement was signed by H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, and Antonio Espinós, President of the World Karate Federation.
Through this partnership, the WKF joins the UNAOC Sport for #OneHumanity campaign to highlight the role of sport in advancing inclusion, diversity and mutual understanding. By becoming part of this growing global campaign, the WKF further reinforces its commitment to using karate as a platform to promote social cohesion and create positive social impact worldwide.
Launched in 2019, the campaign has grown into a global platform bringing together international sports federations, clubs and organizations to promote dialogue, respect and peaceful coexistence through sport. UNAOC works to advance dialogue among cultures and communities, promoting pluralism, respect, and cooperation across societies. These principles strongly align with the values of karate – respect, discipline, equality, and honor – which form the foundation of the sport and its contribution to building more inclusive societies.
Under this collaboration, UNAOC and the WKF will work together on joint initiatives aimed at showcasing the positive role that sport can play in building more inclusive societies. The collaboration will include awareness campaigns, outreach activities and engagement during international competitions, promoting shared values aligned with the goals of the Sport for #OneHumanity campaign.
The cooperation builds on earlier collaboration between UNAOC and WKF that began in 2023 with several joint actions. During the World Senior Karate Championships in Cairo, last year, both organizations worked together to highlight inclusion through the visibility of Para-Karate, and demonstrate its empowering role for athletes with disabilities.
The WKF is also one of the international federations that includes Para-Karate competitions within its official championships, further strengthening its commitment to inclusive sport. With this agreement signed in Madrid, the WKF and UNAOC reaffirm their shared commitment to harnessing the power of sport to promote dialogue, inclusion and respect across cultures and communities.
WKF President Antonio Espinós said:
“Karate has always been more than a sport. It is a discipline rooted in respect, integrity, and self-improvement—values that resonate deeply with the goals of the #OneHumanity initiative. Through the partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), we are pleased to highlight karate’s enduring legacy in society and its unique capacity to advance inclusion, celebrate diversity, and foster mutual understanding.
“We are especially grateful to His Excellency Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, for visiting our headquarters in Madrid and for taking the time to sign this important agreement. His presence underscores the significance of this partnership and the role that sport can play in bringing people together. By working together with UNAOC, we reaffirm our commitment to using karate as a force for positive change and to contributing to the building of more inclusive and harmonious societies.”
About the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is a United Nations initiative that works to build bridges between societies and promote dialogue and understanding among cultures, religions and communities. Through programmes focused on youth, education, media, migration, and women as peacemakers, UNAOC advances mutual understanding and works to counter forces that fuel polarization and extremism.
Sport for #OneHumanity is one of UNAOC’s flagship campaigns, launched in 2019 to harness the power of sport as a platform for promoting inclusion, diversity and peaceful coexistence.
For more information about UNAOC, visit www.unaoc.org.
About the World Karate Federation
The World Karate Federation (WKF) is the international governing body of karate. With 201 national federations and headquarters in Madrid, Spain, the WKF represents more than 100 million practitioners worldwide and oversees international karate competitions and development programmes across the globe.
More information is available at www.wkf.net.
