Acting Chargé d’Affaires at Qatar’s permanent delegation to UN Office in Geneva Jawhara Al Suwaidi and others at the event to mark the day.
Geneva: The permanent mission of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva organised an event on the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. The event was held in cooperation with the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) and the Generation Amazing Foundation of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.
A number of diplomatic missions, international organisations, civil society organisations in Geneva, sports federations, and officials participated in the event.
The event provided an opportunity to determine good practices and related challenges, with a particular focus on the role of youth in promoting sports to advance human rights and sustainable development, raising awareness of sports as a tool for peace and youth participation, and demonstrating how the use of sports by the United Nations and other actors is harnessed to bring youth together.
Acting Chargé d’Affaires at Qatar’s permanent delegation to Geneva Jawhara Al Suwaidi said Qatar’s prominence in the sports field was thanks to the state’s strategy, that made sports one of its primary tools to establish its 2030 national vision. She said this was reflected in the state’s decision to mark the second Tuesday of every February as National Sports Day. She also said that Qatar is a member of the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace in Geneva and New York.
She said Qatar has designed infrastructure that meets the requirements of FIFA for accessibility, including accessible stadiums, transportation networks, accommodation, fan areas, and all other aspects for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility, in order to ensure equal accessibility for persons with disabilities.
She also highlighted that the FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be the first major tournament that’s carbon-neutral. She stressed that these massive infrastructure improvements will not only serve the objectives of Qatar’s National Development Strategy, but will provide a strong legacy of increased access and inclusion for many years after the tournament ends.
Al Suwaidi stressed that despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in disrupting progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals, integrating sport into recovery policies and strategies can help to return to the right track, and restore the achievements that were erased due to the pandemic.
