Let ’s Harness the Egalitarian Spirit of Sport for Global Cohesion

Football match to raise awareness on environmental issues in Watamu, Kenya jointly organized by UNESCO, UN Environment and UN Information Center. Credit: @UNESCOBy Ann Therese Ndong Jatta and Siddharth ChatterjeeNAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24 2017 (IPS)24 October has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948.In his message to the world the UN Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres remarked, “When we achieve human rights and human dignity for all people – they will build a peaceful, sustainable and just world”. Sport has proven to be a cost-effective and flexible tool in promoting peace and development objectivesConsider this. On assuming the presidency, one political masterstroke by the late Nelson Mandela was his use of sports to foster the country’s healing process. As hosts of the 2010 World Cup, white and black fans stood and cheered the country’s team together, forgetting past antagonisms.Mandela said, “Sport can create hope where there was once only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. Sport has power to change the world.”Sport eliminates barriers and stereotypes in a way few other human endeavors do, rendering innocuous differences in gender, religion, and cultures, and uplifting the importance of team work, discipline and rules of the game for a team to score and win. It is the ideal opportunity to teach team-building, peace and appreciation of the other person’s qualities and abilities.A team implies a group o...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Aid Democracy Education Gender Global Global Governance Headlines Health Human Rights IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Peace Religion TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news