UNESCO

Sport and anti-doping
UNESCO is the UN agency mandated to
promote physical education and sports,
which contribute to human development,
healthy lifestyles and a peaceful world.
Early April, UNESCO and Saudi
Arabia’s Al-Hilal Football Club signed
a three-year agreement to work
together for the promotion of social
inclusion through sport. Al-Hilal will
provide US $1.5 million of funding for
projects concerned with quality physical
education in schools and the social
integration of young people, especially
in conflict and post-conflict zones.
‘More than ever today, we need to
nurture the power of sport as a pillar of
healthy societies, societies at ease with
themselves and others, societies united
in their diversity, based on human rights
and equal dignity,’ said Irina Bokova,
who sees sport ‘as a transformational
force for social inclusion, gender
equality, and youth empowerment,
with benefits extending far beyond
the grounds of stadiums’. ‘We are very
proud of the partnership with UNESCO,
and we will do our best to achieve the
goals set by the Organization,’ said
Mohammad Al-Hmaidani, President of
Al-Hilal. Several sport stars took part
in the ceremony.
UNESCO’s General Conference, at
its 38th session, adopted the revised
International Charter for Physical
Education, Physical Activity and Sport.
‘This is a strong recognition of physical
education as a driver for promoting
gender equality, social inclusion, nondiscrimination
and sustained dialogue in
our societies,’ the Director-General said.
© UNESCO/Pilar Chiang-Joo
Based on the universal spirit of
the original 1978 Charter, the revised
Charter highlights the health benefits
of physical activity, the inclusion of
persons with disabilities, the protection
of children, the role of sport for
development and peace, and the need to
protect the integrity of sport from doping,
violence, manipulation and corruption.
This modernized version contains input
from the Intergovernmental Committee
for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS)
and its Permanent Consultative Council,
and from UNESCO’s Executive Board.
It is a follow-up to the Declaration of
Berlin which was adopted by the Fifth
World Conference of Sport Ministers
(MINEPS V).
In April, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and
the President of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal Football Club,
Mohammad Al-Hmaidani, signed a three-year
partnership for funding quality physical education
projects in conflict and post-conflict zones.
In partnership
with several
international
organizations,
UNESCO released
in 2015 Quality
Physical Education:
Guidelines for
Policy-Makers to
inform the provision
of quality physical
education across
the full age range
from early years
through secondary
education.
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