UN RESOLUTION RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
December 7, 2018
The UN has explicitly and publicly recognized the power of sport to help make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality through a General Assembly resolution adopted in New York on December 3.
The resolution encourages UN Member States to emphasize and advance the use of sport as a vehicle and “foster sustainable development…and respect and facilitate social inclusion, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.” It reiterates the UN’s call for States to leverage sport in collaboration with all the interested stakeholders, including the sports community, civil society, international organizations and businesses.
The SDGs are a roadmap adopted by world leaders in 2015 to stimulate action in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet through 2030. Covering 17 goals and 169 targets, they are a call for global collaboration and action to ensure peace, prosperity and to protect the planet.
The Resolution was adopted during the presentation of the biennial report of the UN Secretary General on sport for development and peace. A report which calls upon Member States to further the work on sport for development and peace at all levels, promote policy coherence, and foster existing national policies and government-supported programs using sport as a tool for social or economic development
Sport has long been seen by the UN as an important contributor to realizing development and peace goals, and was included with the 2015 creation of the SDGs.
This latest sports-related resolution highlights the “invaluable contribution” that the Olympic and Paralympic movements have made to the promotion of peace and development throughout the world, citing efforts to revive the ideal of the Olympic Truce, based on an ancient Greek tradition, during which all conflicts would be put on hold seven days before the beginning of the Games.
“We welcome the Resolution approved today by the United Nations, as it reaffirms the universality of sport and its unifying power to foster peace, education, gender equality and sustainable development at large,” IOC President Thomas Bach commented. “Thanks to the UN, we now have a strong tool that encourages states and sports organisations to work together and develop concrete best practices.”
Beyond Sport shares United Nations’ commitment to using sport to address the world’s biggest problems. That’s why we celebrate, support, raise awareness and provide funding for organizations using sport to make the Sustainable Development Goals a reality. Read more about our commitment to the SDGs here.