Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Dear Friends,
At the outset, I thank the Permanent Representatives of Qatar and Monaco, the UN Department for Global Communications and UN Women for supporting today¡¯s commemoration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. I also warmly welcome the accomplished athletes and sports professionals joining us today.
This year¡¯s theme, ¡°Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,¡± reflects a simple yet powerful truth: sport can unite communities across cultures and generations, build on shared passions, and foster a more inclusive and harmonious society.
We must harness this potential in a world grappling with conflict, polarization, and mistrust. Today, we gather to explore how sport can reopen doors where dialogue has broken down, reconnect isolated communities, and forge strong intergenerational bonds.
However, sport does not automatically generate peace or development. To drive lasting change, policies and programmes on sport must be intentionally designed, evidence-based, adequately resourced, and anchored in strong policy frameworks and partnerships. Research shows that without proper safeguards, sport can reinforce inequalities, foster exclusion, and even spark violence. We cannot assume positive outcomes without deliberate focus and institutional support.
Recognizing this reality, many Governments are now deploying formal sports diplomacy to build cultural bridges and counter societal polarization. Globally, we see inspiring examples of sport driving peace and development ¡ªfrom providing mental health and psychosocial support for children in conflict zones to strengthening child protection measures in sports.
Dear colleagues,
This year¡¯s commemoration follows the successful Second World Summit for Social Development held last November in Doha. Through the Doha Political Declaration, the international community has pledged to advancing the role of sport in fostering social integration and social cohesion.
My Department ¨C the Department for Economic and Social Affairs ¨C is fully committed to working with Member States, the broader UN system, and all stakeholders to advance this important global dialogue and to translate the Doha commitments into decisive action.
In closing, I invite you to reflect on the role sport has played in your own lives, and how we may better harness its power in our collective pursuit of peace, equality, and global development.
Thank you.