"London 2012 - Rio 2016 - Transformation Through Sport"

Minister Jeremy Browne,
Madam Ambassador Farani Azevêdo
Mr. Nuzman
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am pleased to welcome you all to this remarkable collection of photographs highlighting the transformative power of sport. I thank the Permanent Missions of Brazil and the United Kingdom for sharing with us these compelling images of how sport can act as a positive force for long-term change. We are privileged to have with us Mr. Nuzman and Mr. Browne as two distinguished representatives of the forthcoming Games, both deeply involved in directing that positive force.

The United Nations has long recognized the potential of sport to advance the global causes of peace, development and human rights. Our collaboration with the Olympic family provides an important framework in this regard. Just this weekend, the Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, together with the President of the International Olympic Committee, visited grassroots sports projects in Zambia, including a project run by UNICEF as part of the “International Inspiration” programme, the official legacy programme of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Sport teaches the universal values of team spirit, participation, inclusion, fair play and respect. Sport is empowerment, as we see so clearly demonstrated in the photos on display here. Sport shows us that, regardless of background, individuals can succeed with the right combination of talent and will. This potential needs to be tapped, not least in our efforts to empower youth, which is a key priority for the Secretary-General and the entire Organization. The Olympic and Paralympic Games have also made significant strides towards gender parity, with more than 42% female participants in the latest Games, serving as an example of women’s empowerment.

I welcome the focus on the connection between sport and human rights. As the home of the Human Rights Council, the United Nations Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace and major sports organizations, Geneva provides a particularly valuable platform for these discussions, and I encourage you all to make full use of it.
Sport can be a powerful tool to counter discrimination, exclusion, racism and other human rights transgressions. As the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, said: “Sport is part of every man’s heritage”. We all have a right to access and participate in sport. In turn, we also have an obligation to use sport to advance fundamental rights.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Olympic and Paralympic Games bring the world together. Some four billion television viewers tuned in to watch the opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008. For the duration of the Games, we wish the best for our national athletes, while we cheer on those from other countries and admire their achievements. As the human family, we are united in our celebration of Olympians and Para-Olympians who want to go further and reach new heights in excellence.

Let the Olympic spirit inspire us all to strive beyond expectations, to always be at the top of our game, in our collective efforts for a better world.

Thank you very much.