2nd International Forum on Sport for Peace - Naciones Unidas

Panel discussion
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mr Timothy Fok,
President, NOC of hong Kong, China
<strong>2nd</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Forum</strong> on Sport for Peace & Development
summaries
Mr Fok recalled that sport has been at centre of some interesting political moments, such as the
Ping-Pong diplomacy between China and the United States, the 2000 Olympic Games as a model
for ethnical integration, and the 2008 Olympic Games, which signalled China’s readiness for a larger,
positive role in international affairs and an opening to the world. The Football World Cup organised
jointly by Korea and Japan was another attempt to heal wounds from the past. And overall, athletes
opposing each other in a competition were not enemies, but competitors.
In the face of the intractable conflicts that occur in the world, he stressed the need for the Olympic
ideal of competition in the spirit of brotherhood to be translated into a new reality.
ms Fani Palli Petralia,
Vice-President, international Olympic Truce Foundation (iOTF)
She reiterated the importance of the Olympic Truce as a message of optimism which could not
solve the underlying political reasons to the various conflicts of our world, but could contribute to
the cessation of conflicts and offer, as in ancient times, a chance for peace initiatives.
Beyond this, the Olympic Truce – and the ideals represented by it – is a vehicle of ideas and practices
for a better future, especially for today’s youngsters. Insurmountable cultural differences may suddenly
look less challenging through a culture of mutual respect and aversion to violence, and the new media
and communication technologies give us today an even greater opportunity to disseminate such a
message of peace.
Sport, like in ancient times, offers not only spectacle but also an opportunity for peaceful co-existence
among nations and people by promoting the idea of an international culture of peace.
hE mr Fred Tanner,
Director of the geneva Centre for security Policy (gCsP)
HE Mr Tanner’s presentation focused on the paradox of sport. On the one hand, it is an activity where,
in essence, athletes oppose each other and, as such, is similar to the conflicts society faces. Indeed,
some sports are of a clearly violent nature and/or contribute to exacerbating social differences between
groups or persons belonging to different countries, cultures or other dividing causes, which already
exist in their respective societies.
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