UN International Year of Sport culminates in Swiss Conference

As the United Nations International Year of Sport and Physical Education 2005 draws to a close, more than 400 sports and development figures have come together in Switzerland to plan the next stage of maximizing the potential of sport for development and peace.

“The International Year of Sport and Physical Education is perfect for raising awareness of the role sport can play for society. But awareness is not enough – action is called for,” said Swiss President Samuel Schmid as he opened the 2nd Magglingen Conference on Sport for Development yesterday.

He said the conference will issue a Call to Action to ensure practical initiatives are taken as a result of the year.

“The time has come to look at what we have achieved and what still lies ahead,” added former Swiss President Adolph Ogi, Special Adviser to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sport for Development and Peace. “From today on we are entering a new phase, a phase of implementation and of active involvement with partners in the field.”

During the Year, almost 60 countries from all continents designated National Focal Points for Sport and Development and hundreds of organizations, from the International Olympic Committee to community groups, have raised awareness of the societal importance of sport through sports events and other activities.

In addition, 10 international conferences were organized during the Year connecting sport with development, health, culture, environment, peace, gender and education.

Governments, the UN, sports organizations and other groups have launched more than 100 projects using sport as a tool for promoting development and peace. Through the Sporting Goods to Go project, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies and sports institutions targeted $2 million worth of sports equipment to be delivered to developing countries.

The Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group will prepare a report including recommendations on the integration of Sport for Development into national development agendas and international development strategies to be presented during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

In a video message to the Conference, which ends tomorrow, Secretary-General Kofi Annan saluted the governments, sports organizations, the private sector and community groups that helped make the Year a success.

“You have helped build momentum for mainstreaming the power of sport in the global development agenda,” he said.