A/70/PV.39 General Assembly

Before we proceed to consider the item on our agenda for this afternoon, it is my sad duty to inform members of the Assembly of the passing away, on 19 October 2015, of His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. On behalf of the General Assembly, I should like to convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Libya and to the family of Mr. Treki. I now invite representatives to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, former President of the General Assembly.

I now give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

As we gather in remembrance of a departed African statesman, some of us are with an especially heavy heart. The African Group is particularly inspired by his years of service, *1533386* 15-33386 (E) as reflected in his trail of public service, both national and international, here at the United Nations and in his country of origin. We note his service as the Permanent Representative of his country to the United Nations, as Chair of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) and as Vice-President of the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session. His work here at the United Nations culminated in his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, in 2009. On my personal behalf and on behalf of the African Group, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to the people of Libya and to the family of the late Mr. Ali Treki for their great loss, and we encourage them as a group to find solace in his legacy of national and international service. Some of us here at the United Nations recall his powerful acceptance speech (see A/64/PV.1) on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. In that speech he pointed out quite clearly that, while the Second World War had given victory to certain States and while the Charter of the United Nations had allowed those victorious States certain rights not accorded to the general membership, the world had changed since then. It was therefore no longer possible for the United Nations, with a membership of more than 190 countries, to remain the Organization it had been when it had only 50 Members. Those are words to bear in mind as we address the questions of the revitalization of the General Assembly and the reform of the Security Council. He has left us a legacy to build upon as we continue to advocate for a reformed United Nations.

I now give the floor to the representative of Cambodia, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States.

At the outset, I would like, as Chair of the Group of Asia-Pacific States, to extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the late Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, former President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. Ambassador Treki was a man of deep knowledge and a veteran in the field of diplomacy and international relations. He was Libya’s Foreign Minister from 1977 to 1980 and served several times as his country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In 1982, he served as one of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session and later presided over the Fourth Committee. During his tenure as Libya’s Secretary of African Union Affairs, he played a significant role in the creation of the African Union. Ambassador Treki’s candidacy to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session was supported by 53 African nations. When he assumed office, on 15 September 2009, it was a very busy year. It was a time when the world was facing a number of challenges ranging from economic and food security crises, political instability, issues concerning the protection of human rights, as well as those related to the Millennium Development Goals and global health. It was during his presidency that the Assembly consolidated the four bodies working for the advancement of women into a single new entity, which is UN-Women today. Let us remember Ambassador Treki’s first speech (see A/64/PV.1) upon assuming the presidency of the General Assembly. President Treki referred to his determination to put an end to wars and to their causes and consequences. He stated that dialogue and mutual understanding paved the way towards resolving our problems, and that embargoes and blockades were fruitless. He also said that embargoes and blockades exacerbated antagonism and rebellion, while undermining respect for the international community. We believe that the Ambassador’s words still resonate today, as dialogue and mutual understanding are indeed some of the best ways to resolve the conflicts of the world. Ambassador Treki’s passing away is felt not only by the African States, but by many Member States of the United Nations. As such, I would like to conclude my brief statement by once again conveying the deepest condolences of the Asia-Pacific States. Our prayers go to the bereaved family members of the late Ali Treki. May his soul rest in peace.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovakia, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States. It was with a great sense of loss that we received the news of the passing away of His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. On behalf of the Eastern European States, I would like to express to the Government and the people of Libya, as well as to the family of Mr. Treki, our deepest sympathy and most sincere condolences. President Treki was an experienced diplomat well acquainted with United Nations issues, having served three times as his country’s Permanent Representative to the world Organization. President Treki played a significant role in the creation of the African Union and contributed significantly to international efforts to promote peace and stability, mediating several conflicts in Africa, Cyprus and the Philippines, as well as in other parts of the world, including in countries members of our regional group. President Treki was his country’s Secretary for African Union Affairs when he became the sixty- fourth President of the General Assembly, in 2009. As President of the General Assembly, he is remembered for cultivating a spirit of cooperation, consensus- building, enlightened leadership and dedicated service to our Organization. May God rest his soul.

I now give the floor to the representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

On behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, I express our condolences on the passing away of His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. President Treki had an extensive background in diplomacy and multilateralism, including his long career in the service of his country. He served as Libya’s Secretary for African Union Affairs, Ambassador to France, Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States in Cairo and Minister for Foreign Affairs. President Treki also served as his country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations three times. He presided over the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee and represented Libya on the Commission on Human Rights. Notably, Mr. Treki was elected President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, from 2009 to 2010, the culmination of a career dedicated to international relations. During his time as President of the General Assembly, Mr. Treki reiterated the call for the Assembly to focus on three essential elements for its success, namely, support, coordination and innovation. Those are elements that we can all continue to champion as we move forward in attempting to strengthen the role of the General Assembly. President Treki will also be remembered for his dedication to the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Non-Aligned Movement. His education in history and political history prepared him well for his service to the international community and the United Nations family. We extend our sincerest sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues. The United Nations community mourns his passing.

I now give the floor to the representative of Ireland, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States.

On behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States, I extend to the people and the Government of Libya our deepest condolences on the death of His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, former President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. President Treki is remembered for his tireless work in advancing the ideas of the United Nations as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. A distinguished Libyan diplomat, he served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Libya several times and as the Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations no fewer than three times. In 2009, after a distinguished career in the Libyan Foreign Service, Mr. Treki served as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, and throughout his career he consistently sought to promote Libyan cooperation with the international community. The members of the Group of Western European and Other States express their gratitude for what President Treki gave to the United Nations and offer our sympathies and condolences to his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United States of America, who will speak on behalf of the host country.

I have the sad task today to speak on behalf of the host country, the United States, on the loss of our colleague and former President of the General Assembly, Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki. We wish to convey our sincere condolences to his family, extended family and friends and all the people of Libya, whom he served. As we all know, Ambassador Treki was a distinguished diplomat and an esteemed member of our community at the United Nations. His many posts, including representing Libya at the United Nations, serving as Libya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, its Ambassador to France and, most recently, as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, speak to his distinguished career in the service of his nation, his continent and the broader global community. Among his diplomatic achievements, Ambassador Treki also played a significant role in the creation of the African Union and in mediating several conflicts across Africa and in other regions of the world. I would like to reiterate, on behalf of the United States, our deep regret for the loss of a husband and a father, as well as a colleague and a friend.

I now give the floor to the representative of Libya.

At the outset, allow me to thank you, Sir, and the representatives of the regional groups and the representative of the host country for the heartfelt condolences expressed today and extended to the bereaved family members and friends of our countryman, the late Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki. We would also like to thank all those who have extended their condolences to the Libyan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, whether through letters or phone calls. Naturally, we would also like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and we would like to inform the Assembly that all condolences will be forwarded to the bereaved family of the deceased. Allow me to personally extend my sympathy to the wife of Mr. Treki, to his children, his family and indeed all of his friends. We are greatly saddened by his absence, and we pray to God that He accepts him and that He bestows mercy upon him. Mr. Treki enjoyed a long career, which spanned more than 40 years. He held a number of positions and posts, including serving at the head of Libya’s diplomatic service, namely, as Minister for Foreign Affairs. He also represented the African Union and was secretary of the League of Arab States. He served three times as the Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations in New York, and he was also the Ambassador of Libya to France and Libya’s permanent representative to the League of Arab States in Cairo. In addition, Mr. Treki chaired the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly in 1983, at a time when a number of States were still under the yoke of apartheid and colonialism. He was also one of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its thirty- seventh session, in 1982, and was elected President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, for the period 2009-2010. Mr. Treki always strove to strengthen and bolster joint Arab and African diplomacy. He always served international peace and security. He played a major role in creating the African Union and contributed directly to mediation efforts in a number of conflicts, both within States and between States, such as conflicts in Africa, in the Sudan, in Chad, between Ethiopia and Eritrea, between Djibouti and Eritrea, as well as in other regions of the world, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, the Philippines and that between Iraq and Iran. Mr. Ali Treki, as head of Libyan diplomacy, worked in very difficult conditions, but always in a highly professional manner, displaying exemplary patience, because he had to deal with the whims and changing moods of the dictator at the head of Libya and was also forced to manage the situation, the reality of international relations and, at the same time, protect Libya’s interests. He was able to ensure that Libyan diplomacy and good standing were preserved. Of course, he always worked to further Libya’s interests. Libya today pays tribute to one of the greatest symbols of its diplomacy. All those who knew Mr. Ali Treki will remember him as an outstanding statesman, a patriot, one who was very jealous of the prerogatives of his country, who always fought for the rights of his country and Africa, a man of peace who worked for peace, security and the well-being of humankind as a whole.

I now give the floor to the representative of Brazil to introduce draft resolution A/70.L.3.

It is a privilege as an Olympian and President of the Organizing Committee for the Rio 2016 Olympic Paralympic Games to address the General Assembly and introduce draft resolution A/70/L.3, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. I come to this house of dialogue to talk about truce, the Olympic Truce. That is the greatest honour of all in this temple of consensus, where the Olympic flag is raised with the goal of embracing diversity. Our mission is to organize the Olympic Games, and through that effort to create a better world for the coming generations, to help them to see life through sport and to see sport as a way for all of us to build a fairer society in a healthier planet. Sport brings a brighter future to athletes and to the wider athletic family, which includes doctors, coaches, sponsors, teachers, journalists and supporters. Six years ago, in Copenhagen, I asked my friends and colleagues at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting to vote for Rio de Janeiro. It opened a gateway to 180 million passionate young people in South America, embracing a continent of 400 million people, and offered exciting new opportunities for the Olympic movement. South America is a new region for the Olympic movement: we will host the games for the first time. That is an inspiration. Doors have been opened to other regions of the world. Sport could boost solidarity and improve education, social inclusion, understanding, peace and hope for generations to come. We are looking for a new set of opportunities that will allow the young to build the future they deserve. The International Olympic Committee supported our dream. The frontiers of the Olympic movement have expanded. When we think about the true meaning of the IOC agenda and we see Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and our IOC President Thomas Bach working together, we realize that our future is in very good hands. Rio de Janeiro is ready to deliver history. The city is being transformed. The legacy of the 2016 Games will be tangible and perennial. We are talking about sport as a part of the city’s education programme  — a new urban mobility system, multiple job opportunities and a sustainable drive for the future. (spoke in French) The Olympic spirit has had a unique power. It has transformed cities, regions, countries and the lives of millions of people. It has changed the course of history. We dream of achieving the overarching goal. We dream of humankind advancing towards a fairer, more peaceful world with many more opportunities for young people. The Olympic Truce should not be only a dream. We are here today to promote transformation through sport. We ardently desire peace. (spoke in English) Peace is the only fair future for humankind, so our aim is to create a lasting legacy of peace for young people — a message of hope for the future, by reinforcing the rights of the world’s boys and girls. That message includes the right to education, access to sport, access to health care, and protection from abuse and neglect. I have pointed out that this will be key at the Rio 2016 Games, as 50,000 volunteers and 11 million young students, who could potentially be involved in our education programme, will be lending their assistance. Those boys and girls are also part of the school games organized by the Brazilian Olympic Committee every year, with sport as a framework for a better life. We have 284 days until the Olympic torch arrives at the Maracana stadium for the opening ceremony of the XXXI Olympiad. Today is the perfect day for all of us to make an even greater contribution to a brighter future for generations to come. On behalf of Brazil, the city of Rio de Janeiro and the Organizing Committee, with its partners and the strong support of the federal, state and city Governments, I would like to thank the General Assembly at its seventieth session and ask for its support for the draft resolution.

It gives me distinct pleasure to address the General Assembly today on the role of sport and the Olympic ideal in promoting peace and development. By its very nature, sport is about participation. Sport is about inclusion and equality. It stands for human values such as respect for the opponent, acceptance of binding rules, teamwork and fairness — principles that are also embedded in the Charter of the United Nations. Sport has the potential to help overcome conflicts, both within and between States. It promotes rapprochement, bridges social, economic and cultural divides, and builds a sense of shared identity. Hence it is important to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict and disturbance, both during and beyond the period of international sporting events. To that end, today we will vote for draft resolution A/70/L.3, sponsored by Brazil as host of the XXXI Olympic Games and of the XV Paralympic Games, to be held next year. We commend the work done by the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace and other relevant agencies in implementing the Olympic Truce and the Action Plan on Sport. World leaders have recognized sport as an important enabler of sustainable development, as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), adopted at the historic Summit last month. Mongolia welcomes the decision of the General Assembly to designate 6 April as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. Sport is deeply rooted in the traditional way of life of Mongols. Wrestling, horse racing and archery are the three age-old competitions traditionally used to measure the courage and strength of nomads. The development of sport has therefore been high on the agenda of the Government of Mongolia. Since 2011, we have been implementing a comprehensive national programme to promote sports. The programme seeks to promote public sports and education aimed at instilling a healthy lifestyle and increasing the longevity of the population, supporting sportsmen and athletes, building sport and fitness centres for the general public, especially youth, children and people with disabilities, and encouraging public-private partnerships in sport development. It also envisages, inter alia, strengthening the national capacity in sport and the skills of athletes, so that they can perform at a high level in world tournaments. We also wish to expand the types of sports in which we participate in the Olympic Games and other international championships. Sport brings about new opportunities for individuals, communities and States. It expands global commitments to strengthening physical, mental and emotional health, social welfare and cohesion, while also promoting team spirit, solidarity and adherence to standards and the rules of the game, and also raising awareness and increasing the understanding of human rights. Sport is important in promoting human rights worldwide through the interactions that it generates among people from different backgrounds and cultures. Through its universal nature, sport can instil in people the values of respect, diversity, tolerance and fairness, thereby serving as a tool to combat all forms of discrimination. As a candidate country for the Human Rights Council in the upcoming elections to be held in a few days, Mongolia stands strongly committed to the promotion of human rights, including through sport. Sport has a unique power to convene, mobilize and inspire. Let us all therefore use sport to help create a healthier, happier and more prosperous world, a world where no one is left behind.

I now give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. Today’s draft resolution A/70/L.3, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, highlights the indispensable interaction between peace and sport. The EU and its member States remain committed to the values of the Olympic ideal and will spare no effort to promote the ancient, but always timely, concept of the Olympic Truce as an invaluable means towards peace and solidarity. The Olympic Games have historically been associated with the ideal of a truce. We consider sport an invaluable tool to encourage dialogue and mutual understanding among people of different backgrounds. The concept of the Olympic Truce provides us with a unique opportunity to achieve a cessation of hostilities, even temporarily, and to promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts. In particular today, when violent extremism is on the rise, the ideal of the Olympic Truce could serve as a perfect historical example for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, even for a short period of time. We warmly thank Brazil for facilitating this year’s draft resolution and wish that country every success for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We particularly welcome the fact that this year’s draft resolution includes several positive references to the protection of human rights and recognizes that sport can be used to promote human rights and strengthen universal respect for them. In conclusion, allow me to underline once again our commitment to support the peaceful resolution of conflicts. I wish to use this opportunity to urge all Member States to send a message of unity by observing the Olympic Truce during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Accustomed to major international events, the city of Rio de Janeiro is on the verge of again hosting another global event, this time from 5 to 21 August 2016 for the Olympic Games and from 7 to 18 September 2016 for the Paralympic Games, which are being organized for the first time in a South American country. The Principality of Monaco wishes to fully associate itself with the commitment to build a peaceful and better world through the Olympic ideal. This year, we welcome draft resolution A/70/L.3, which we co-sponsored and which will certainly be adopted by consensus. Over 20 years after the inclusion of this item on the agenda of our Organization, this meeting is another stage in the process of recognizing sport as an “important enabler of sustainable development” (resolution 70/1, para. 37). We are entirely convinced of the “contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives” (ibid.). Those words, drawn from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, rightly underscore the role that sport plays at all levels. Allow me to draw attention to the approach of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has made sustainability the central principle of its work. In that respect, the IOC and its various committees work with the host country in the process of preparing for the Games and ensure that athletes have adequate infrastructure for the competitions, but above all and beyond the Games, they seek to ensure that there will be an improvement in the quality of life of the millions of inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. That is reflected in the creation of jobs, the provision of training for the host city’s inhabitants and the renovation and construction of new urban sport infrastructure, not to mention the participation of women. As the host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro will be at the centre of our planet’s attention next summer. However, the heritage of that event will last beyond the intense, but fleeting, duration of the Games themselves. We wish to pay tribute to the IOC and its President for the Olympic Agenda 2020, as well as the numerous actions that have been taken on the ground, which have made the IOC an essential partner. The strengthened cooperation between the United Nations and the IOC would not have developed to its current extent without the confident and collective commitment of the Secretary-General and the President of the IOC, which is enshrined in a framework agreement that forges a solid and effective partnership aimed at promoting the common ideals and values of the charters of both organizations. I would also like to pay tribute to the constant efforts of the Special Adviser on Sport for Peace and Development. We note that sport’s intrinsic values reflect, in many ways, those of our Organization, and that its vocabulary can easily be adapted to the pledge we made in September in adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, namely, to leave no one behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Similarly, the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations — those of the dignity and value of the human individual, the equality of the human rights of men and women, social progress and tolerance are all reflected in sport. The values of sport that are incorporated into our daily life enable us to build a more harmonious, healthier, calmer and more united society. Beyond words, how can we realize in practice the benefits that sport offers? Sport is the act of transcending oneself to achieve fixed goals by focusing on one’s skills and strength. Sport also serves communities by enhancing people’s skills and reducing individual failings. We will be able to go farther together in overcoming challenges than we would be able to as unorganized individuals. At a time when there are 70 million displaced persons and refugees around the world, I would like to pay tribute to the IOC, which is invested in and working towards, through the commitment of its Honorary President, the empowerment of those millions of men, women and children and providing them a better life through sport. The practice of sport and the Olympic Games are not only about setting new records. Sport brings together the peoples of the world around three main values, namely, excellence, friendship and respect. Practising sports and the Olympic ideal are not only about winning a medal, but also means participating side by side, in a spirit of friendship, in the most notable sports competition that exists, that is, the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We are therefore impatiently waiting to see the flags of the United Nations and the IOC fly together again above the four Olympic sites in Rio de Janeiro, which will illustrate the full synergy between the two organizations. But before that always magical moment when the Olympic flame is lit in Rio de Janeiro, the Olympic flame will have travelled to 500 cities, including 300 in Brazil, allowing the world to become more familiar with that large country. The enthusiasm and hospitality of Rio de Janeiro will mean that we will soon become familiar with the names of Barra da Tijuca, Deodoro, with the soccer temples of Maracanã and Copacabana, which are globally renowned. We wish Brazil every success in Rio de Janeiro.

Allow me, at the outset, to pay tribute to the United Nations support of sports. I would also like to pay tribute to Mr. Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the Secretary- General on Sport for Development and Peace. I would also like to welcome Mr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and to reiterate our support for the efforts of the IOC, which seeks to promote peace and understanding among peoples through sport and the Olympic ideals, including the Olympic Truce. Sport has played a very important role historically in all communities. That is why nations and peoples have promoted sport as part and parcel of their daily lifestyle and as one dimension of society and culture. Accordingly, sport has become one of the fundamental United Nations principles and a human right that deserves to be respected, applied and recognized as a low-cost and high-impact tool for human aid, development and peace, whether in the United Nations, in non-governmental organizations or in other agencies. Sport is not only practiced in any given community, but represents a very important and significant investment in the present and future, especially in developing countries. Sport plays a very prominent role in supporting social integration and economic development. Given the pioneering role of sport and its impact on individuals, sport should be part and parcel of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), adopted during the exceptional United Nations Summit on sustainable development, because the link between sport and development and peace is growing. That translates into an increasing awareness of the importance of sport and its linkage to humankind’s aspirations to enjoy its universal rights without any discrimination, thereby according everyone equality of opportunity. In the spirit of using sport as a tool for peace and social development, I would like to express the support of Tunisia for draft resolution A/70/L.3, which Brazil submitted this year. That draft resolution reiterates the international community’s determination to continue its efforts to make sport a tool for communication, reconciliation and human rights. That also promotes the importance of the notion that Member States accord priority to sports in their national policies as a tool for peace, sustainable development, education and health. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Tunisia’s support to the IOC, noting that the Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018 and in Tokyo in 2022. That will also be an occasion for promoting the culture of peace and harmony.

Sport has the power to nurture dreams and bring people hope. Sport has the power to change the world, and even the future of humankind. High respect must therefore be accorded to sport. In the spirit of peace, the international community should once again join together by adopting draft resolution A/70/L.3, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, which has been adopted biennially since 1993. As various United Nations documents indicate, this draft resolution has become an expression of humankind’s desire to build a world based on the rules of fair competition, peace, humanity and reconciliation, which Japan deeply respects and firmly supports. Japan appreciates the initiative and leadership of Brazil, which will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year and has submitted this year’s draft resolution. As a co-sponsor, Japan strongly supports the draft resolution. We firmly believe that next year’s Games, to be hosted in Rio de Janeiro, will realize the draft resolution’s ideals and objectives. Japan will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. It is our great pleasure to set the stage for the international community to view the outstanding performances of top athletes from all over the world. We will also have the privilege of welcoming many diverse guests to our country from every corner of the world. Japan is determined to do its best to make that occasion a great success. Japan wants the Tokyo 2020 Games to realize the following three ideals: first, achieving one’s personal best; secondly, unity in diversity; and, thirdly, connecting to tomorrow. Achieving one’s personal best means that the Tokyo 2020 Games aim to deliver events where every athlete can realize his or her greatest athletic performance and achieve his or her personal best. Unity in diversity means accepting and respecting differences in race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, birth, level of ability or other status in support of peace, so that society can continue to develop and flourish. The Tokyo 2020 Games will foster a welcoming environment and raise awareness of the concept of unity in diversity among the citizens of the world. Last but not least, there is connecting to tomorrow. I recall that half a century ago, the Tokyo 1964 Games completely transformed Japan, enhanced the Japanese people’s awareness of the outside world and helped bring about the rapid growth of Japan’s economy. We hope the 2020 Games will enable Japan to promote constructive changes throughout the world and leave a positive legacy for future generations. In the lead-up to 2020, the Japanese Government has been steadily implementing various programmes under our Sport for Tomorrow Programme, which is targeted at reaching over 10 million people in more than 100 countries. Specifically, we intend to concentrate on improving sport facilities and cooperating in sport curriculums and on design and human-resource development. Japan will continue promoting sport in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace, other United Nations bodies, Member States and non-governmental organizations, so that the 2020 Tokyo Games will inspire people around the world and leave positive legacies in Japan and in the world.

Greece aligns itself with the statement delivered a few minutes ago by the observer of the European Union. For reasons that should be clear, my delegation wishes make some additional remarks in its national capacity. As far back as the eighth century B.C., the ancient Olympic Games were meant to be a force for peace and solidarity among the ancient Greek city-States, which declared a truce starting seven days before the beginning and ending seven days after the end of the Games. The ultimate goal was the peaceful conduct of the Games by protecting the city from invasion and by ordering individuals and State authorities to refrain from interfering with the safe passage of the athletes. As the historian Thucydides claimed, if States violated the truce, their athletes were banned from participating in the Games. The concept of the Olympic Truce was born and carried out for 1,200 years back in antiquity. Greeks saw the Games as a chance to replace conflict with friendly competition. However, the ideal of the Olympic Truce was also of great importance for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern era, as an invaluable tool to advance international understanding and promote world peace. In today’s world, the emphasis on Olympic peace has become a major feature of modern Olympic ideology. The foundation of the International Olympic Truce Centre, in whose creation Greece was actively engaged along with the International Olympic Committee, gave new dynamism to the pursuit of peace. Most importantly, the inclusion of the Olympic Truce into the United Nations framework, through the adoption of relevant resolutions, granted a distinct role to the ideal. We should bear in mind that, in a world of differences, inequalities and conflicts, even an agreement on a temporary truce represents an achievement on the part of the international community. We feel, therefore, responsible for continuing to promote the Olympic Truce, and we will spare no effort to ensure its actual implementation. In 2016, Brazil will host the XXI Olympic Games and the XV Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. I seize this opportunity to wish Brazil every success in that demanding endeavour. The task of the rest of us is to meet our responsibilities by observing the Olympic Truce and making peace an attainable goal, at least this once. We should all find inspiration in next year’s Olympic Games, and reflect on how sport could be used as a useful tool to prevent or reduce tensions and build bridges between nations.

My delegation is pleased with the holding of this debate on the creation of a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal. Morocco wants to accord special importance to all international organizations that promote sport throughout the world. We are also pleased at the activities of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee aimed at promoting and strengthening the culture of peace based on the spirit of the Olympic Truce. My delegation also welcomes the proclamation by the General Assembly of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April, which is intended to highlight the contribution of sport and physical exercise to education, human development, the adoption of healthy lifestyles and the building of a more peaceful world. We are also pleased to be co-sponsoring draft resolution A/70/L.3, presented this year by Brazil, which we hope the General Assembly will adopt by consensus. Since the dawn of human civilization, sport has always made a major contribution to bridging points of view and bringing countries closer together. Sport has the unique ability to attract, mobilize and inspire people throughout the world. It knows neither geographic borders nor social classes. It is an important element of social inclusion and fulfilment that enables the strengthening of relations and the promotion of the ideals of peace, fraternity, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice. Morocco is pleased at the similarity of principles underlying both the United Nations and the Olympic spirit. The Olympic ideals are very similar to those of the United Nations, whether we are talking about civil, political, economic, social or cultural rights. Moreover, we are pleased at the presence of the United Nations flag at all Olympic events, which brings to mind the common objective of the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee. During sports events we have a real opportunity to promote knowledge, understanding and the enforcement of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That is an ideal opportunity to convey messages of peace and tolerance  — educational messages that correct stereotypes and clichés, call for the fight against ignorance, intolerance and discrimination, and encourage the bridging of cultural differences. My delegation highlights the crucial role and the important and long-lasting contributions of sport to the dissemination and realization of the Sustainable Development Goals announced in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). The Kingdom of Morocco has a national programme for sport and development. Since 2008, Morocco has had in place a strategy that makes it possible to ensure that the practice of sports and its values are part of daily life, to affirm sport as a fundamental right and a crucial element of social integration, and to extend access to sport while encouraging the creation of sport associations. His Majesty the King believes in giving a strong impetus to development, with sport as a fundamental element assisting in the development of the capacities and personal skills of young people. That has always been one of the strategic priorities of the Kingdom of Morocco, whether it be youth education, training, access to the labour market, the participation of young people in political life or their contribution to the economic, social and cultural areas of life. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport without any discrimination. In that regard, my delegation emphasizes the particular importance of ensuring the participation of women, girls and persons with disabilities in all sports activities in order to enshrine the principle of equality between men and women and to end stereotyping. In conclusion, my delegation would like to reiterate its determination to strengthen international brotherhood, friendship, goodwill and unity among peoples through sport, for there is no better way to inculcate and encourage the values of respect for diversity and tolerance among communities, civilizations and cultures. Furthermore, peace and non-violence are some of the basic values that we are working to defend.

Singapore looks forward to today’s adoption of draft resolution A/70/L.3, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. We are pleased to be a sponsor of the draft resolution, introduced by Brazil, and welcome the ideals represented by the Olympic Truce. Sport brings many benefits to societies. Besides encouraging healthy lifestyles, it helps to build social capital and inspires the human spirit. More important, it is a profound way of bringing people together in the pursuit of excellence, while transcending differences in socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. The Olympic Games, the pinnacle of sporting achievement, have helped to promote peace, tolerance and solidarity all over the world. The Olympic Agenda 2020, approved by the International Olympic Committee in December 2014, is a strategic road map for our global efforts to promote the Olympic movement, safeguard its ideals and strengthen the value of sport in sustainable development. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, for his foresight and leadership in driving these reforms. The Olympic Games have been a source of inspiration for us in building a strong sporting culture in Singapore. Our Vision 2030 master plan is best described as the story of how sport can be used as a national strategy for developing healthy and resilient people, forging strong, united communities, instilling core values, creating shared memories and building a dynamic society and economy. The attributes that sport embodies — tenacity, discipline, teamwork, leadership and a love of country — are what we need as we compete in a more globalized environment while maintaining Singapore’s social cohesion and sense of identity. These are principles that we want to be firmly rooted not just in our athletes but throughout our society. We believe we can live better through sport. Last June, Singapore hosted the twenty-eighth Southeast Asian Games, a biennial multisport event with the participation of more than 4,000 athletes. The games echo the timeless Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. What shone through was the spirit of friendship among the peoples of South- East Asia. While athletes competed intensely and spectators cheered vociferously, spectators and athletes alike exemplified sportsmanship and were gracious even in defeat. It is heartwarming to see how sport forges common bonds and brings peoples of different nationalities closer together, building a more peaceful and better world. In December, Singapore will have the honour of hosting the Para Games of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the first time. The event celebrates the triumph of the human spirit against all odds and exemplifies the Paralympic values of determination, inspiration, courage and equality. The theme of the Games, “Celebrate the extraordinary”, pays tribute to the tremendous courage and spirit of para-athletes, who have overcome great challenges not just to lead active lives but to excel in their various domains. Through the Games, we hope to inspire more persons with disabilities to overcome challenges and blaze new trails, and help to produce a society that is as inclusive as possible. The role of sport as an enabler of sustainable development is duly recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). As the United Nations and its Member States embark upon the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, Singapore firmly believes that we should harness the value of sport as an inspiration to aim higher and do development better in our race to build a more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous future for our peoples.

Qatar is also pleased to be a sponsor of today’s draft resolution A/70/L.3, entiled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. The outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (resolution 70/1), cites sport as an important enabler of sustainable development. It recognizes sport’s growing contribution to the realization of development and peace through its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women, young people, individuals and societies. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight our national experience in this area. Qatar is a firm believer in the role that sport plays in promoting peace, development and dialogue among civilizations. Within the framework of anchoring the 2030 Agenda in Qatar’s national vision, and with the goal of achieving that vision of a healthy, active society both physically and psychologically, Qatar proclaimed 2 February an annual national day of sport, beginning in 2012. It is a public holiday in Qatar, reflecting an initiative that is unique in the world. Its aim is to focus on and deepen understanding of sport in the community and increase popular participation in various sporting activities. We are working to that end by ensuring best practices and by promoting and encouraging the effective participation of all members of society in celebrating the holiday and in sports activities. The General Assembly has addressed the issue of building a more peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal on many occasions, highlighting the important role of sport in enhancing education, health, development and peace. The work of Qatar’s Ministry of Youth and Sport is based on similar aims, and it oversees the curriculums for students aged between 15 and 18 in many areas of sport. To date, more than 26,000 students have benefitted from such activities. Our national Olympic committee has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Alliance for Civilization of the United Nations whereby it takes part in programmes and activities aimed at promoting peace and development through sport. In Geneva in 2013, we also had the honour of co-chairing, with Costa Rica, the Group of Friends of Sport for Development. We attach particular importance to sport at the national, regional and international levels. As we are discussing this item today, Qatar has successfully hosted the Paralympic Games in order to integrate all members of society and to promote the advancement of communities. We also underscore the importance of the Doha GOALS Forum, which since 2012 has served as a forum for international development initiatives through sports, sponsored by His Excellency Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar. The Qatar Olympic Committee is playing an important role in preparing Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which will be an exceptional occasion to reinforce the values of peace, development and understanding among all peoples of the world. It will be the first time that an event of such scale will be hosted in the Arab world. In this regard, we are also planning to organize a high- level event, with the participation of other countries, at the United Nations on the economic, social and development role played by sport. We plan to share the lessons learned and experiences with other countries that have hosted other major sporting events in the past. In conclusion, we would like to emphasize the importance of sports in building a world of peace and understanding with a view of promoting harmony and development, nationally and globally.

We congratulate Brazil, host of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for the excellent facilitation of draft resolution A/70/L.3, which we are about to adopt and which Tanzania has gladly co-sponsored. We would also like to acknowledge the great work being undertaken by the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace in promoting peace and understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal. The 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games will coincide with the commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations. This meeting therefore presents a unique opportunity to assess the contribution of sport in advancing the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, especially in building an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding among peoples and nations, as envisioned in the outcome of the 2005 World Summit. In addition to the commemoration, the meeting coincides with the adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which recognizes sport as an important enabler of sustainable development. Despite that recognition, however, many people in countries across the world, especially in developing countries, have yet to realize the full benefits of sport. Many are trapped in situations, including conflicts and colonial occupation, which inhibit their enjoyment of a social activity that dates back to ancient times. Those people deserve better. They must not be left behind. That is why we welcome and support the work being undertaken by all national, regional and international stakeholders in promoting and strengthening a culture of peace based on the Greek tradition of the Olympic Truce. We call for the full cooperation of all Member States in realizing the objective of that just endeavour. We also call upon Member States and other stakeholders to include sport, where appropriate, as a complement to conflict-prevention and peacebuilding efforts. Tanzania believes that sport is an important tool for building national unity, fostering gender equality and women’s empowerment, education, health, development, peace and conflict prevention and resolution. Consequently, since the birth of our nation, sport has been accorded ample attention, including through the promulgation of policies and legislation as well as through the establishment of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport. Among the chief preoccupations of the newly independent Tanzania was the restoration of several traditional sports, which, inter alia, served as a symbol of national pride. Games and sports such as archery, Bao — a form of Mancala — wrestling, swimming, running, tug-of- war, javelin, stick fighting, rope skipping and oxen racing, which were prevalent in pre-colonial Africa, were either altered or eliminated entirely, as they were perceived as either primitive or pagan in nature. We therefore ensured that all persons, irrespective of their age, sex, religion or tribe, participated in sporting activities, which were and are still conducted at the primary, secondary and higher education levels, as well as among Government employees, through the annual inter-ministerial sports competition. Like the United Nations, the strength and uniqueness of the Olympic establishment is its diversity, reflected by the participating nations that are united in support of its ideals. We are very satisfied that the organizers have made every effort to involve persons with disabilities, through the Paralympic Games. We are concerned, however, by the uneven representation of developed and developing countries that are participating. It is imperative, therefore, that we foster partnerships and enhance cooperation to bridge that gap. We need to build lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships to promote sport among youth, for we know too well that, in addition to other benefits, sport can be an important source of livelihood. Tanzania’s doors are open to such partnerships, including in the development of the necessary infrastructure for training young persons in different sports. Only recently, His Excellency Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, inaugurated a state-of-the-art community-based sports park, which was developed in partnership with the Symbion Power Company of the United States of America and Sunderland Association Football Club/A.F.C. of the United Kingdom. In conclusion, we would like to voice our dismay at the continued racism and xenophobic tendencies in sport. We note that such tendencies run counter to the spirit and principles of both the Charter of the United Nations and the Olympic Games. We recall paragraph 218 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which urges Member States, in cooperation with the relevant Olympic bodies, to intensify the fight against racism in sport, including through education and raising awareness of the Olympic spirit, which calls for human understanding, tolerance, fair play and solidarity. We believe that the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, to be observed on 6 April, should be used to address some of those thorny and regrettable issues.

We welcome the emphasis the General Assembly has laid on sport as an agent of peace and an instrument of development. India strongly concurs with the recognition of sport as an ideal to be pursued for several noble objectives that are at the heart of the Organization’s work. In ancient Indian tradition, exercise and sport were considered an inseparable part of good health. As an old proverb in Sanskrit emphasizes, the virtue of health is the basis of all achievements. The author of the proverb is extolling the benefit of exercise and sport for health, long age, strength, freedom from disease and ultimately, happiness. Sport plays an important role at both the individual and social levels. At the individual level, as the Sanskrit proverb notes, sport is directly linked with good health, an important objective of development policy and, needless to say, now a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal. At the same time, sport also builds character. It helps motivate children and youth, inculcating in them the much-needed esprit de corps, a sense of partnership with others. It also develops leadership skills, a spirit of sharing, of competing fairly and of respecting others. At the social level, on the other hand, there can indeed be no more powerful tool than sport to inspire and bring people together for a common purpose. Principles such as non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality, and the foundation of all human rights can be taught through sports. Sport also helps foster peace and a feeling of friendship among all nations and all peoples. We are happy that the contribution of sport as an important enabler of sustainable development has been duly noted by our leaders in the Declaration of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which has correctly recognized the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women, young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives. India wholeheartedly recognizes the invaluable contribution of the Olympic Movement in establishing sport as an ideal means for the promotion of peace, good neighbourliness and development. We welcome the upcoming Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, to be held in Rio de Janeiro. We wish our friends from Brazil every success in hosting this remarkable celebration of the human spirit. In the same vein, we also would like to commend the efforts of the organizers of several such events earlier this year. To mention only a few, there were the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, the Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the Fédération internationale de football association Women’s World Cup in Canada, the Universidad in the Republic of Korea and the European Games in Azerbaijan. At the national level in India, sports, games and physical fitness have been an integral part of the Indian heritage, evident even today not only in the highly evolved system of yoga, but also in the vast range of indigenous games and martial arts practised in different parts of India. A young and resurgent India has once again embraced sport. That is evident in the revival of several sports, not to mention hockey and kabaddi, which are today competing with cricket for prime-time television viewership. Yet India is a developing country where the sporting infrastructure has not been able to match the growing demand. Our higher population density has also meant a comparative lack of open access, especially in urban areas. The Indian Government is actively engaged in these issues to make sure that sport remains available to every Indian. Allow me to also highlight the important role of yoga as a practice for both physical and mental health. Recognizing the rich and proven expertise of this ancient practice for building healthy individuals and communities, the Government of India has redoubled its efforts to promote yoga as an important health and sporting activity throughout the country. In that context, the Assembly’s decision in the past year to commemorate 21 June as the International Day of Yoga and the unprecedented celebration of the first International Day of Yoga, right here at the United Nations earlier this year, are particularly gratifying for my delegation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the General Assembly, and indeed the entire membership, for their valuable support. The former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, who famously used sport for social harmony and peace, could not have put it better when he said of sport, “It speaks to youth in a language they understand”. We would therefore do well to use this tool that speaks a universal language in the pursuit of our universally recognized goals of peace and development. Allow me to conclude by again emphasizing India’s sincere belief that sports and all sporting events strengthen the cherished ties of goodwill and understanding that unite us as one family.

Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union at the beginning of this meeting and wishes to make the following additional remarks in its national capacity. My country welcomes the imminent adoption of draft resolution A/70/L.3 and is proud to be among its sponsors. The clear consensus of the General Assembly on this issue demonstrates that the ideal of the Olympic Truce is alive and powerful. We must now translate that commitment into reality. In a time of persistent instability and increasing challenges, we applaud the message sent by the draft resolution of sport as a means of prevention. In effect, its universal language can bridge gaps and promote the core values necessary for tolerance and lasting peace. On the playing field, cultural, linguistic, religious, social and ideological differences disappear. We also highly appreciate the emphasis this year on vulnerable groups, such as children, persons with disabilities, women and girls, as well as the need to engage them in the practice of sports for peace and development. Italy is a strong believer in sport as a powerful tool and vehicle to promote peace and development and is proud to be part of the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace. That is also why in 2009 we actively supported the adoption of resolution 64/3, which granted observer status to the International Olympic Committee in the General Assembly, and we welcome President Bach and Vice-President Pescante. More recently, in 2014, we organized at the United Nations in New York an event on children, sport and development, with an inter-campus programme, a non-profit social event that instituted the famous Italian soccer team Internazionale Milano, which provides assistance to needy children and young people in 29 countries around the world. Its aim is to give back to children the right to play through football programmes, teach youths team work and the meaning of fair play and give them access to health and education services, which are very often absent from their villages. The main message of the event was that sport is a crucial means to promote sustainable development. It has already proved to be a cost-effective and flexible tool in promoting peace and security objectives. Since the inception of the Millennium Development Goals, in 2000, sport played a vital role in advancing each of the eight goals. We are convinced that sports will also be a powerful tool to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that we have recently adopted. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once said, sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls, all the barriers. It is in that spirit that we wish the best success to Brazil for the organization of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

I thank the President for according my delegation an opportunity to contribute to this very important agenda item, which focuses on the role of sport in the promotion of development and peace. The introduction of this year’s draft resolution A/70/L.3) is very timely, coming just one month after our Heads of State and Government adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) and the commemoration of 70 years of existence of the United Nations during the high-level debate, in which countries recommitted to the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations, espousing international peace and security. Zambia recognizes the valuable role that sport plays in the promotion of peace, dialogue, reconciliation, national and regional cooperation and solidarity, education, health and sustainable development. As a sport-loving country, Zambia reaffirms its commitments to the provision of the necessary legal framework as well as financial support for the integration of sport in the national development agenda. In that regard, physical education has been incorporated as part of our country’s educational curriculum starting for students at a very early age. Zambia acknowledges that sport is an important medium for the promotion of harmony and a unifier of people of all political, social and religious affiliations. Sport has been used as a means of recreation, healthy life style and as a crowd- pulling medium for the dissemination of life-saving messages, including those concerning HIV/AIDS in both primary and secondary schools. Consequently, a number of community projects have been implemented, and they have successfully revealed the power of sport in bringing positive social transformation. The projects include the Go Sisters! programme, which focuses on empowering girls and women between the ages of 12 and 25 to take on leadership roles in their communities, with peer-leaders creating self-managed, organizing committees to plan and lead educational and sports programmes. A number of street kids, orphaned children and those affected by HIV/AIDS have been enrolled in those programmes, which have yielded very positive results. Sport has furthermore been identified as an important skill and career pursued by young people, which provides meaningful and very sustainable income across all age groups. Therefore, young people are being made aware of the profitability of pursuing sport as a profession. In that regard, the Zambian Government, in conjunction with sports associations, has embarked upon enhancing talent identification and promoting excellence in that field. Zambia remains committed to the promotion of sport for development and peace by supporting, among other things, the national Paralympic Committee, an institution that coordinates sports programmes for people with disabilities. The Government is also making efforts to construct user- friendly sports facilities to accommodate various disciplines in sport. Zambia is a beneficiary of the International Olympic Committee’s pilot programme Sports for Hope, which built a multi-purpose centre for the Olympic Truce in Lusaka. The Olympic youth development centre has served sportsmen and sportswomen from all over Africa. The centre houses modern facilities for football, hockey and other athletics. It also attracts underprivileged youth within Lusaka and gives them a chance to unleash and fulfil their potential for sports by participating and training at the centre. Our modern sports infrastructure enabled Zambia to successfully host the 2012 under-20 youth games of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa, zone 6 under the confederation of sports associations. The successful hosting of those tournaments at the centre has prompted the Government to consider larger-scale continental games in the future. Zambia also uses the practices of the International Olympic Committee as a model throughout the country. The Government has accordingly embarked upon the construction of sports facilities in all the provinces of Zambia. In conclusion, I wish to underscore Zambia’s commitment to youth sport in fostering peace and sustainable development at national, regional and global levels. Zambia stands ready to work with all cooperating partners to promote various sport disciplines in order to maintain peace and achieve sustainable development.

Cuba has traditionally been a co-sponsor of the draft resolution (A/70/L.3) before us, presented by Brazil. We will continue to back efforts to promote sport as a way to promote the development of peace and well- being, as well as the achievement of goals in health, education, social inclusion and the empowerment of women, young people and communities, in general, in compliance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). Cuba has put the development of mass sport at the service of improving the quality of life for the population, and practising sport is free for all citizens. Guaranteeing the enjoyment of sport as a constitutional right for all Cubans is one of the most important achievements of the Cuban Revolution in the field of human rights. Today, the practice of sport is widespread throughout the country, thereby allowing the Cuban population to achieve high fitness levels, with the majority of beneficiaries being women. The inclusion of physical education as a subject within the national education system and the establishment of specialized education centres that provide specific physical education programmes have played a vital role in achieving those goals. Cuba has trained a considerable number of men and women teachers and professors who are specialized in physical education. They implement our strategy to promote a culture of physical well-being and health in the community, including via fitness and therapy centres. The are also responsible for our programmes to promote good health and prevention within groups representative of the elderly, pregnant and nursing women, as well as community aerobic groups and basic gymnastic groups for women, all of which make up our development strategy. Cuba has a broad network of sports facilities with services in all municipalities of the country, which encourage the the practice of sport within the general population. The broad coverage of sport education is supported through the system of sport education established by the Cuban State. Each province has a university department/faculty for physical culture. There is an institute of physical culture at the national level, eight schools that train physical education teachers at the intermediary level and an international school of physical education and sport. The latter school was inaugurated in 2000, opening its doors to the first students coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Today, it is still graduating thousands of young people hailing from developing countries. One of the achievements of the training within the institutions of the sports education system has led to the establishment of specialized centres for training athletes, including top-level professional athletes. Cuba has developed one of the most advanced sports medicine systems, including one of the best-equipped anti-doping laboratories, as recognized by the International Olympic Committee. That modern laboratory reflects Cuba’s commitment to combating doping in sport. Cuban sport is currently in very good health and enjoys widespread recognition at both the regional and international Olympic levels, as evidenced not only in the outcome of every competition at every level, but also in the solidarity and cooperation that Cuba provides to countries that so request, by dispatching sports professionals to them. Cuba’s presence, expressed through its global solidarity with trainers and physical education teachers, upholds the prestige of Cuban sport. Cuba has supported the sporting achievements of many countries and will continue to do so to the best of its abilities. All those achievements, both at the national level and in terms of cooperation, have been made possible thanks to the will of the Cuban Government and people. However, our efforts aimed at the full exercise of that right have been thwarted for more than 50 years by the genocidal policy of the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed on Cuba. To give just one example, Cuban sporting institutions have been prevented from acquiring in the American market tools, equipment and uniforms such as pole- and high-jump mats, Multimarc folding hoops for artistic gymnastics, Canondale bicycles and electronic measuring equipment for athletic training, among other things. Finally, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to promoting sport both for the Cuban people and for the brotherly countries that need our modest contribution and experience in that realm.

At the outset, allow me to commend the work being done at the United Nations by the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace, which aims to promote sports as a means for promoting citizenship and friendship. We also commend the expected adoption of draft resolution A/70/L.3, which was sponsored by Brazil and co-sponsored by my country. Furthermore, I would like to highlight Brazil’s crucial work in organizing the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2016, for the first time in our region. We are convinced that the Games will be successful and that they will bring together many athletes from across the world. Much has been said about how sports can play a key role in the United Nations efforts to improve the lives of people around the world. Sports build bridges between people and communities and prepares fertile soil for peace. By promoting a philosophy of life based on the Olympic Game of exerting oneself for excellence, demonstrating respect and celebrating friendship, the Olympics show that sport can help to build a better world. Those efforts are closely related to the initiatives and important programmes that many Member States and international organizations have undertaken in order to advance sport in a comprehensive fashion comparable to achievements in the social realm. The importance of sport in the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) provides an example of that. In Argentina, we have implemented a national sport policy, and we promote healthy practices that foster the values that promote people’s holistic development, including commitment, solidarity, fellowship and respect for diversity. In that regard, for the past decade Argentina has been developing the concept of social sport, by which we mean the practice of physical and sporting activities geared to the population as a whole, irrespective of age, gender, physical condition or social or ethnic origin, and which in its various guises generates inclusion, thereby making sports an endeavour that encourages comprehensive human development. We see with satisfaction that those elements are reflected in the draft resolution that we are about to adopt. As members of the Assembly know, the city of Buenos Aires was chosen for the third Summer Youth Olympics, which will be held in 2018. We believe that the selection of Buenos Aires expresses the international community’s recognition of Argentina’s achievements in sport and the socioeconomic development of our country in recent years. In conclusion, I wish to indicate that by adopting this draft resolution, we propose to continue sending a clear message of peace and international goodwill to the inhabitants of the world. As a sponsor of the draft resolution, we call upon everyone to observe the Olympic Truce, an ancient tradition that makes it possible for athletes and others to take part in the Games under secure conditions, mobilizing the peoples of the world in the name of peace.

Ukraine fully supports the adoption by consensus of draft resolution A/70/L.3, on building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal. Traditionally, Ukraine is one of the States that have co-sponsored that resolution. However, the draft resolution contains a provision noting the successful conclusion of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and the XI Paralympic Winter Games held in Sochi, the Russian Federation, from 7 to 23 February 2014 and from 7 to 16 March 2014, respectively. We believe that this provision directly contradicts the ancient Greek tradition of ekecheiria, the Olympic Truce. During those games, the Russian Federation cynically violated the Olympic Truce. It illegally occupied and annexed the autonomous republic of Crimea, Ukraine, and still continues its aggression against my country. Taking those facts into consideration, this year Ukraine regrettably had to abstain from co-sponsoring the draft resolution. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to wish Brazil every success and to stress our full and sincere support for its hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, as well as promoting and strengthening a culture of peace based on the spirit of the Olympic Truce.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 64/3, of 19 October 2009, I now call on the President of the International Olympic Committee.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is honoured to take the floor today before the General Assembly. The IOC would like to thank the Government of Brazil and its representatives to the United Nations for having submitted to the Assembly draft resolution A/70/L.3. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace, co-chaired by the Principality of Monaco and Tunisia, and to all the States that sponsored the draft resolution, as well as the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General for Sport for Development and Peace for supporting the incorporation and integration of sport into the work of the United Nations. (spoke in English) Both the United Nations and the IOC are built on the shared values of tolerance, solidarity and peace. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described this in the best way, namely, that “Olympic principles are United Nations principles”. The IOC applauds the General Assembly once again for recognizing sport as an important enabler to foster peace and understanding in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). As during the most recent United Nations sustainable development summit, I want to emphasize that the United Nations and all its Member States can count on the unwavering support of the IOC to achieve our common goal of the peaceful development of humankind. With our Olympic Agenda 2020, we are fully aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, that is true of Sustainable Development Goal 16, which is about building accountable, effective and inclusive institutions. The IOC, with its Olympic Agenda 2020, has ensured that we are in compliance with the highest standards of good governance and transparency. In that respect, we are asking other major sports organizations to undertake the necessary swift reforms in order to restore their reputations. The Olympic Truce stands for our shared values of tolerance, solidarity and peace. Sport is in a unique position to put the spirit of the Olympic Truce into practice. Sport is the only area of human experience that has achieved universal law. Regardless of where in the world we practice sport, the rules are the same and apply to everyone. They are based on our shared values. Sport is always about building bridges — it is never about erecting walls. We can only build bridges if our autonomy and our neutrality are respected. In the mutual interest of both sport and politics, I urge the Assembly to continue to protect and strengthen the autonomy of sport, as it did in adopting resolution 69/6 last October, which recognizes the autonomy of sport. In Olympic sport, all people are equal regardless of their race, gender, social status, cultural or political background, faith or belief. That fundamental principle of non-discrimination allows sport to promote peace and understanding among all people. The Olympic Games are the culmination of that vision. The Olympic Games is the time when the values of tolerance, solidarity and peace are brought to life. It is the time when the international community comes together for peaceful competition. In the Olympic Village, we see tolerance and solidarity in their purest form. Athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees are living together in harmony, without any kind of discrimination. It represents the true spirit of the so-called “Olympic Unity in Diversity”, with athletes from every corner of the world living together under one roof. In what is literally a global village, the athletes get to know and understand each other, not just on a human level by sharing their experiences, emotions and meals. They also share their respect for excellence, for victory and for defeat. In that way, the Olympic athletes set an example to the whole world that it is possible to engage in competition while at the same time live peacefully together. In this Olympic spirit of peace and solidarity, the IOC, together with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is assisting refugees all over the world by providing activities, hope and self-confidence through sport. The Secretary-General appointed our Honorary President, Jacques Rogge, as Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport in 2014. The IOC is happy to support those activities financially and has created an additional fund of $2 million to bring hope to refugees through sport. At the same time, we are assisting high-level refugee athletes to continue their sports careers. We help them to make their dream of sporting excellence come true, even when they have to flee from violence and hunger. I would like to appeal to all United Nations Member States to help us to identify such hopeful, great athletes. At present, however, none of those athletes would have the chance to participate in the Olympic Games, even if they qualified from the sports point of view, because with their refugee status they are left without a home country, or a National Olympic Committee to represent them. Today, I am happy to announce before this meeting of the General Assembly that the International Olympic Committee will invite the highest qualified refugee athletes to participate in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016. Having no national team to belong to, having no flag to march behind, having no national anthem to be played for them, those refugee athletes will be welcomed to the Olympic Games with the Olympic flag and the Olympic anthem. They will have a home, together with all of the other 11,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees in the Olympic Village. That will be a symbol of hope for all of the refugees in the world, and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of the crisis. Another wonderful example of how sport can promote peace and inclusion happened recently with the IOC recognition of the National Olympic Committee of South Sudan. With that recognition, we wanted to send a signal of hope to a young nation and its people — a signal of hope because sport always builds bridges among all peoples and all cultures. The President of the newly recognized National Olympic Committee of South Sudan thanked the IOC session by saying, “Now we will arm our young people with sport, and not with guns.” That is the spirit of the Olympic Truce that the Assembly will uphold in supporting today’s draft resolution. The Olympic Games are the moment when the international community comes together to celebrate our common humanity. There is no doubt in my mind that the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 will provide a spectacular stage to showcase the best of the human spirit. We can look forward together to inspiring Olympic Games. I would like to reiterate the warm-hearted invitation to the international community to come together in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 extended by the Organizing Committee, so ably led by our friend and colleague Carlos Nuzman. Brazil and the Brazilians will enthusiastically welcome the world and overwhelm us with their joy of life and their passion for sport. Through the Olympic Games, the Brazilian people will remind the world of their unique combination of passion and efficiency. History will speak of a Rio de Janeiro before the Olympic Games and a much better Rio de Janeiro after the Olympic Games. Rio de Janeiro is building a legacy of the Olympic Games through very concrete measures. Much-needed improvements to the public transportation system and education programmes for all will benefit generations to come. The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are already now a symbol for the efforts of Brazil to build a better future for all its citizens. The values of tolerance, solidarity and peace are a central part of Rio de Janeiro’s legacy to the people of Brazil. They will showcase sport as a key tool for peace, social inclusion and tolerance in the fight against racial, ethnic and gender discrimination. I would like to commend the efforts of Brazil, the Organizing Committee and the Paralympic Movement to promote the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities at the Paralympic Games and beyond. This is another example of how sport can inspire social progress. Still another example is the cooperation between the IOC and UN-Women. Our joint initiative targets girls between the ages of 12 and 14 in schools across the state of Rio de Janeiro. Using a series of sports programmes, we are empowering those girls to become future leaders. The mission of the IOC is to put sport at the service of humankind. We are aware that we can reach this goal only in partnership with others, which is why today we are reaffirming our strong commitment to the United Nations and its Member States to work in partnership towards making our shared goals a reality. The Olympic Truce can give hope for a better future for all. With the General Assembly’s support for the draft resolution on the Truce today, it is my hope that the Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016 will become synonymous with the efforts of the international community to build a peaceful and better world for all through sport.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on agenda item 12. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/70/L.3, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that, since the submission of the draft resolution and in addition to those delegations listed in document A/70/L.3, the following countries have become sponsors of the draft resolution: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, the Comoros, the Congo, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, the Federated States of Micronesia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, the Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, the Syrian Arab Republic, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, the United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/70/L.3?

The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of agenda item 12.