General Assembly Session 59 meeting 41

The Acting President

I invite the representative of Tunisia to introduce draft resolution A/59/L.9.

Mr. Hachani (Tunisia)

On behalf of the delegation of Tunisia, I would like to read to the General Assembly the following statement:

As we are celebrating the fifty-ninth anniversary of the International Day of the United Nations, we affirm our respect for the noble purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, for which it was created. These objectives include working for peace, security and development and the means to achieve these ends. At a time when the international community is preparing to celebrate the year 2005 as the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, in accordance with resolution 58/5, adopted unanimously on 3 November 2003, Tunisia would like to take this opportunity to reiterate its thanks to States, regional and international organizations and the United Nations specialized agencies, all of which supported the adoption of that resolution.

We hope that draft resolution A/59/L.9, which is aimed at implementing the desired objectives in the fields of education, health and society and at consolidating peace and development throughout the world, will receive support and consideration by all parties.

Tunisia is convinced of the importance of sport and physical education, which are vital factors for mental and physical health and serve to promote social cohesion. My country reaffirms that the cultural and development dimensions of this draft resolution are consonant with international goals, in particular the Millennium Declaration, which called for greater cooperation, coordination, tolerance, solidarity, consultation and dialogue.

In our view, it is up to the international community to establish sound foundations for physical and sport-related activities within the framework of the necessary material and social conditions, so as to counter anything that could impede sports activities and development. These include items that would endanger mental and physical health, in particular, steroid use -- doping -- or using sportsmen for commercial purposes. This means that we must adopt some mechanisms that would enable us to protect athletes under the principles articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It also requires that we confront any person or situation that might try to flout the rules of sports conduct or act in contravention of the rules of fair play.

Once again, we would like to say that health, development, peace and education are the four dimensions that this draft resolution wishes to strengthen. Those objectives can be implemented only through close cooperation among all of the sport and international agencies, so that we can adopt effective and innovative measures that will make a contribution to implementing the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in developing countries, and to helping them to build their capacities and adopt practical measures in sport-related activities and physical education.

Tunisia hopes that the efforts of the international community and all concerned parties will be coordinated so that we can hold programmes and purposeful events on all levels during the International Year for Sport and Physical Education that will enable us to attain the draft resolution's objectives by promoting activities to strengthen the principle of sport without violence or steroid use. We hope that in 2005 the international sporting community will be able to adopt an international convention to fight the use of steroids, as well as a sports "code of good practice".

I now have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/59/L.9, entitled "Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace". Since the publication of that document, the following countries have joined the list of sponsors: Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Georgia, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, the Sudan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Viet Nam and Yemen.

The draft resolution before us -- which is based on General Assembly 58/5 -- has garnered broad support and is the result of collective effort; we engaged in thorough consultations before submitting it to the Assembly along with the above-mentioned countries. I should like to take this opportunity to express sincere appreciation and thanks to all the delegations and United Nations organs that took an interest in the draft resolution for their contributions and for helping us to achieve the desired objectives of the International Year for Sport and Physical Education. In particular, I wish to thank Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, and Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, for their constant efforts in that regard.

Like resolution 58/5, this draft resolution addresses the objectives of sport and physical education in today's world. It calls upon Governments and governmental agencies, as well as other sport-related bodies, to organize international sporting events commemorating the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and thus to express their commitment to implementing one of its objectives: strengthening the role of sport and physical education in development programmes and policies in order to spread a culture of peace and the values of dialogue and understanding among peoples. The draft resolution also seeks to encourage Governments and international sporting bodies to undertake development projects and partnerships that will assist in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and will help developing countries to build their sport and physical education capacities. Moreover, the draft resolution proposes a range of measures aimed at helping us to make sport and physical education a way to make the world safer. It stresses that international conventions must be implemented to prevent the use of steroids in all sports.

We have learned that, in the light of the various commitments that have been undertaken, Secretary-General Kofi Annan will launch the International Year for Sport and Physical Education on 5 November 2004 rather than on 27 October. Accordingly, operative paragraph 2 should read:

"Decides to launch, on 5 November 2004, the International Year for Sport and Physical Education, as a means to promote education, health, development and peace".

In conclusion, the Tunisian delegation, together with the other sponsoring delegations, would like to express the hope that the General Assembly will adopt this draft resolution and launch the International Year for Sport and Physical Education -- a year that will help to ensure peace, security and development throughout the world.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to the representative of the Philippines to introduce draft resolution A/59/L.15.

Mr. Baja (Philippines)

I have the honour to introduce the Philippine draft resolution entitled "Promotion of cooperation among religions" (A/59/L.15), under agenda item 35, "Culture of peace".

The brevity of our draft resolution is in conformity with the Assembly's decision to streamline all draft resolutions. Although the draft is self-explanatory, we will soon hold informal consultations on it, in keeping with customary practice.

The Philippines introduced a draft resolution last year on the same subject. We let the concept germinate in the minds of delegation members and in their capitals for a year. Recent positive developments have reinforced our belief that it is now opportune to introduce a revised version during the current session. I should just like to highlight three of those encouraging developments.

First, the Panel of Eminent Persons created by the Secretary-General last year to review the relationship between civil society and the United Nations stated in paragraph 156 of the results of its work -- also known as the Cardoso report (A/58/817) -- that some civil society constituencies, including religious and spiritual groups, "deserve greater attention by the United Nations because of their explicit representational roles or wide memberships". I should like to cite five important functions of religious and spiritual groups mentioned in the same paragraph. They provide powerful community leadership, shape public opinion, provide advice on ethical matters, facilitate reconciliation between conflicting communities and identify the needs of vulnerable groups. Nations are aware of those important functions. Their reiteration by the Panel of Eminent Persons reminds us of the universal understanding on the need for the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance.

Secondly, UNESCO made significant conclusions in its report entitled "Promotion of religious and cultural understanding, harmony and cooperation" (see A/59/201), transmitted in accordance with resolution 58/128.

I would like to refer to a number of UNESCO's conclusions.

First, the report states, in paragraph 33:

"A particularly important dimension of the dialogue among civilizations is interreligious dialogue, which implies dialogue both among religions and within a single religion. Indeed, the key issue raised by the dialogue among civilizations is the place of ethics in the relationship between societies, peoples and individuals."

Secondly, paragraph 35 states:

"In this context, world religions and beliefs could contribute tremendously to the promotion of a culture of peace if they resolve to, on the one hand, collectively face the problems confronting the world today, such as terrorism and sectarian violence, while, on the other hand, practice tolerance within their respective religious communities and in their inter-faith relations."

Thirdly, the heads of State or Government of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) decided at their summit, which took place earlier this month in Hanoi and was co-chaired by Viet Nam and the Netherlands, to launch an initiative entitled "Interfaith Dialogue". ASEM is an interregional grouping of States members of the European Union and of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The theme of this landmark ASEM initiative, sponsored by Indonesia and the United Kingdom, is "Building interfaith harmony within the international community". Its objectives are, first, to foster mutual respect among all faiths and religions in Asia and Europe, secondly, to propose recommendations to actualize interfaith harmony within the international community and, thirdly, to enhance the role of religious civil society in the conduct of second-track diplomacy.

During the most recent ASEM summit, the Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, strongly supported the Indonesian and British proposal for an interfaith dialogue to help prevent terrorism and to promote religious understanding as a component of the dialogue among civilizations and cultures. In that regard, the President also called for the activation of the ASEM caucus in the United Nations to give impetus to the idea.

All those developments validate the vision of the Speaker of the Philippine Congress, Mr. José de Venecia, who proposed the topic to the leaders of the United States, the European Union and Asia as early as two years ago as a subject whose time for serious consideration and action has come. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines highlighted this theme in his address to the General Assembly last month.

Those three developments underpin the importance of the draft resolution that my delegation is introducing today. The Philippines has publicly recognized the important functions of religious and spiritual groups as outlined by the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations. In fact, the Philippines translated this recognition into concrete action when it utilized the services of an interfaith group in helping to solve our problem in the southern Philippines.

The Philippines, based on its own experience, strongly endorses the UNESCO conclusions on the vital role that religions play in the dialogue among civilizations and in the promotion of the culture of peace.

Other developments stress the urgent need for cooperation among religions. Senegal is reported to be organizing, in the near future, an international conference of all religions to seek their views on how they can contribute to alleviating pressing international concerns. The religious leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia reportedly met to help carve out a lasting peace between their two countries. During the general debate last month, the President of the Government of Spain proposed the creation of an alliance of civilizations between the Western and the Arab and Muslim worlds, and he intends to submit a proposal to the Secretary-General for the establishment of a high-level group to consider the matter.

In our host country, the United States, there are interreligious fellowships that are successfully cooperating to help themselves and the homeless and to address other social problems. Other countries have their own interfaith mechanisms, supported by their Governments or by non-governmental organizations.

All these positive national experiences have to be made known and to be shared. This is the reason why the Philippines is proposing, in its draft resolution, that the Secretary-General seek the views of Governments and other bodies on how cooperation among religions can be promoted and further enhanced.

In conclusion, I should like once again to invite the attention of this body to the Declaration issued by the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Kazakhstan. They expressed their common desire for peace, aversion to violence, support for development, promotion of harmony and mutual understanding and cooperation for the avoidance of conflict and the fostering of goodwill -- the raison d'être of A/59/L.15.

Mr. Hackett (Barbados)

I have the honour to speak, on behalf of the States members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), on agenda item 47, entitled "Sport for peace and development: International Year of Sport and Physical Education".

I would like first of all to thank the Secretary-General for his report contained in document A/59/268, which describes activities undertaken and planned in support of the International Year.

CARICOM countries endorse the objectives of the United Nations system for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, as summarized in the Secretary-General's report, and we are committed to undertaking activities in support of the Year.

We agree that sport can be used as a powerful promoter of development and peace. Furthermore, we believe that this can begin with children, since sport is a participatory way for children and young people to learn values and lessons that can be long lasting. That is why CARICOM countries appreciate the efforts of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace in raising awareness with regard to strengthening physical education and sport in education systems. We also applaud UNICEF for placing greater emphasis on this issue in its work programmes.

Sport also promotes the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play and teaches teamwork, discipline, leadership, trust, respect for others and even coping skills. Sporting activities can provide a supportive and self-sustaining environment that can help to prepare young people to meet the difficult challenges that they are almost certain to experience in their lives.

CARICOM countries have a long history of using sport in schools for such child-development purposes. Changing societal values are, however, creating new challenges for successfully incorporating sports in this way, and we look forward to working with UNICEF and UNESCO in incorporating sports and physical education into some of their country and regional Caribbean programmes.

As cricket-playing countries, we also encourage UNICEF to include the global and regional governing bodies of cricket-playing countries in their partnerships with the sports world. The CARICOM region will host the Cricket World Cup Championship in 2007, and we believe that the period between now and the start of the championship would be an opportune time for the launch of such a partnership.

Mr. Zhang Yishan (China)

Sport serves as a bridge linking different nations, different civilizations and different beliefs. The contemporary Olympic Games have reinforced the human pursuit of the spirit of peace, development and self-improvement. The Olympic concept of "higher, faster and stronger" is already deeply rooted in the hearts of the peoples of the world, including its youth. This was clearly shown by the success of the XXVIIIth Olympic Games and the 12th Paralympic Games in Athens this year. Here we would like to thank the Government and the people of Greece for their contribution to that effort.

The United Nations, in the context of promoting world peace and development, has done a great deal of work to publicize the Olympic spirit. The General Assembly adopted a resolution last year proclaiming 2005 the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. We hope that the international community will take advantage of this opportunity to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, promote peace and development through sport, advocate dialogue and exchange among different civilizations, and strive to build a world of peace and prosperity.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the development of sport. Our fundamental goal is to achieve better health for the people and improve the national physique. Since 1995, when the Chinese Government promulgated the "Programme to Build National Health", China has witnessed a series of marked achievements in its undertakings in the area of sport. Public awareness of health and how to improve it has been heightened, mass sports activities are multiplying, and physical education is a major course requirement at the primary, secondary and tertiary educational levels.

At this year's Olympic Games in Athens, the Chinese team won 32 gold medals -- a historical record. At the 12th Paralympics which followed, the Chinese team ranked first in terms of gold medals and total number of medals. Chinese athletes have added a remarkable chapter to the annals of the Games in their birthplace, sharing Olympic glory and the Olympic dream with lovers of the Olympics the world over.

In 2008, China will host the XXIXth Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games in Beijing. The Chinese Government and people are working whole-heartedly and making every effort to prepare for those events. The construction of stadiums and facilities and the development of the necessary bio-environmental, social and urban infrastructure are all under way in an orderly manner. We will continue to work with the International Olympic Committee and other Governments further to display the Olympic spirit and try our utmost to make the Beijing Olympic Games a wonderful occasion to maintain peace, promote development, enhance exchanges among different civilizations, and strengthen friendship among the peoples of all countries.

Mr. Maurer (Switzerland)

I will be speaking on agenda item 47 today.

My delegation took note with great interest of the report by the Secretary-General on sport in the service of peace and development and the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. We are also pleased that this report is being discussed at the same time as the draft resolution on sport as a means of promoting education, health, development and peace.

Both texts underline once again the fact that sport can make a remarkable contribution to the promotion of peace and to the pursuit of several development goals -- be they individual, social, cultural or economic. Sport encompasses fundamental human values that correspond to those of the Charter of the United Nations -- for example, respect for opponents, acceptance of rules, fair play and team spirit.

Switzerland has for a long time now been taking a variety of measures to promote the effective use of sport for peace and development.

At the initiative of Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace and former President of the Swiss Confederation, Switzerland held the International Conference on Sport and Development at Macolin in February 2003. That event brought together 380 representatives of 55 countries, from all segments of society, to exchange information and to compare their experiences. The Macolin Declaration and the recommendations that were adopted on that occasion are a source of inspiration and guidelines throughout the world for activities in the field of sport and development.

In its development cooperation and humanitarian aid activities, Switzerland supports numerous projects and programmes in which sport is considered a means of achieving human, social and economic goals.

The International Year of Sport and Physical Education is an excellent opportunity to raise the awareness of various levels of society as to the tremendous potential of sport in the promotion of peace, development and health. This Year of Sport 2005 will also encourage cooperation between different actors and will enable them to form lasting partnerships. Switzerland will contribute to the realization of those goals at the international and national levels.

At the international level, my country intends to continue to support Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, and to provide financing and logistical support to the United Nations Office in Geneva for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. We will be convening the second International Conference on Sport and Development in Macolin from 4 to 6 December 2005. This Conference will be the highlight, and will also mark the end, of the International Year of Sport 2005. Switzerland will also publish a brochure on "Sport for Development and Peace" in which authors from different countries will present a synthesis of current experiences and conclusions and will identify development opportunities that can still be exploited.

We will continue systematically to integrate sport in Switzerland's development cooperation and humanitarian aid and to strengthen its role by regularly exchanging information with bilateral and multilateral development organizations.

At the national level, Switzerland has established a national committee for the International Year of Sport consisting of Government bodies, sport associations, non-governmental organizations, and representatives in the fields of business and science. The committee's mandate is to coordinate activities with schools, sport associations, non-governmental organizations and the business and science spheres. It is expected that several thousand events will be organized in Switzerland to mark the International Year of Sport.

At the national level, the events planned include "Schools on the Move", where, in more than 1,000 classes, children will play sports every day during the school term; "Switzerland on the Move", which will feature a sporting event in which the entire population can take part, to be held in the majority of Switzerland's 2,900 communes; and, finally, an educational campaign on sport and development in Swiss schools.

The draft resolution to be discussed today fully reflects this spirit. It invites all actors to strengthen their commitment and their cooperation in the field of sport for development and peace, with the aim of achieving not only a healthier but also a more just and peaceful world. As the host nation of the International Olympic Committee and of numerous other private sport associations, Switzerland fully supports this draft resolution.

Ms. Moore (United States)

The United States delegation welcomes today's consideration of the Assembly's agenda item "Sport for peace and development: International Year of Sport and Physical Education".

The United States has a long history of supporting international athletic events for professionals and amateurs, including hosting eight modern Olympic games. One of America's proudest inventions, baseball, has proven to be one of America's proudest exports. Little league baseball and softball leagues have been formed in over 75 countries, with 180,000 teams serving nearly 2.7 million boys and girls.

The United States Government supports international athletic competitions because they promote understanding and respect for cultural diversity, foster international partnerships and increase greater awareness of global social issues, such as human rights, the role of women in society, and drug prevention. Moreover, they generate a deep sense of national pride.

As President Bush recognized just last week in hosting the United States Olympic team at the White House, international sport allows a country to show its values and character. He praised the virtues that sport can reflect: being humble in victory, gracious in defeat, expressing compassion for competitors and demonstrating great tolerance and diversity within a country.

Today, the Assembly can support the United Nations ideal of teaching the world's youth not merely about sport, but how to use sport to promote friendship, mutual understanding and well-being. Our delegation joins the consensus on today's draft resolution in support of that ideal.

We thank the Secretariat for its report, entitled "Sport for peace and development: International Year of Sport and Physical Education", contained in document A/59/268 of 16 August 2004. The United States will continue to refer to it as we plan activities for the International Year and to that end we invite input from civil society organizations with a sport focus. We look forward to reviewing initiatives to use sport as a means of promoting intercultural, post-conflict and peace-building dialogues, as the report suggests.

The report correctly states that sport brings individuals and communities together and that it can be a powerful vehicle through which the United Nations can work towards achieving its goals. In that vein, concerning the draft resolution, the United States would like to note that world leaders at the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development and at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development agreed to support the internationally-agreed goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. We would have preferred to see the reference in the draft resolution changed to that effect.

Also, we note the report's review of anti-doping efforts. The United States supports the process under way at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with respect to the negotiation of an international convention against doping in sport. The United States recognizes that the code of good practice contemplated in the draft resolution would extend beyond the issue of anti-doping; however, it would be appropriate for States drafting such a code to take into account the World Anti-Doping Code of March 2003, which has the support of more than 150 countries. In particular, it would be helpful to avoid a duplication of effort or the possibility of a conflict between those two instruments.

The United Nations increasingly attests to the unifying power of sport and in turn we find the United Nations flag flying over more and more sporting venues. Every year, the United Nations hosts more than 12,000 athletes right outside this Hall for a friendship run to warm-up for the New York City Marathon, the world's largest spectator sporting event. The next friendship run is soon: Saturday, 6 November, at 8 a.m.

The United States hopes that the International Year will further dialogue around the world, as we strongly believe that sport can be a useful tool of diplomacy. Among our sport diplomacy programmes are those to help educators teach children the importance of diversity and cultural understanding, done in connection with the National Football League and foreign citizens studying in the United States as Fulbright scholars. Also, for the first time, the United States hosted last summer the International Children's Games and Cultural Festival for 2,200 foreign youth. Our diplomacy initiatives offer training programmes for participation by the disabled and other programmes send American basketball players abroad to conduct coaching clinics and youth tournaments.

During the International Year in 2005, the United States will host major athletic events. Those include, for example, the World Spring Speed Skating Championships, the Federation Internationale de Natation Swimming World Cup, the Luge World Championships, the Cycling Elite Track Championships, the Show Jumping and Dressage World Cup, and the Union Cyclist Internationale Track Cycling World Championships. These types of exchanges forge constructive partnerships within the international community not only between athletes, but also between organizers, hosts and spectators.

Turning to physical education, for many years the United States President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has served well as an advisory committee of volunteer citizens. Through various creative initiatives, the Council promotes health, physical activity, fitness and enjoyment for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities through participation in physical activity and sport. To promote those activities, President Bush designated May 2004 as our National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

Sport exercises a deep hold on the human imagination which is virtually universal and which does not seem to vary from society to society at that level of emotion. Sport transcends all perceived barriers across ethnicities, ages, genders, religions and abilities. It reminds us of our common humanity.

Mr. Al-Zaabi (United Arab Emirates)

On behalf of the delegation of the United Arab Emirates, it gives me great pleasure to start my statement by thanking the Secretary-General for his report and for the valuable information contained therein, which we expect to enrich our deliberations on this item.

Ten years ago, the General Assembly started observing the Olympic Truce, a 1,200-year-old sacred Greek tradition, to prove once again that humanity has a propensity for peace and dialogue, and not for fighting and wars. The Truce requires the cessation of all acts of hostility to allow spectators to come and watch the competitions and to return to their homes safely.

Though the achievement of peace and stability requires compliance with the principals of the Charter and the provisions of relevant international laws and conventions, the process of promoting and consolidating peace should be implemented through mechanisms of mutual understanding and based on respect for and partnership among various cultures, religions and civilizations. Those principles were reflected in the idea of the Olympic Truce, which calls for equality and fair competition, regardless of ethnic background, religion, race or nationality of the athletes. It is an exemplary tool for instilling those great values and disseminating a culture of peace, tolerance, conciliation and harmony among countries and peoples.

The United Arab Emirates welcomes the initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation and partnership between the United Nations system and the International Olympic Committee, which has already led to joint activities to advance development, mobilize humanitarian assistance, protect the environment and improve health and education services. In that context, we stress the need to exert special efforts to assist developing countries, especially the smallest and poorest among them, to rebuild the infrastructure of their sports institutions and meet training requirements so that they can actively participate in the Olympic Games. We also affirm the importance of reaching an international consensus on a code of good practice for sport and for introducing strategic partnership programmes for all stakeholders and sports-related organizations, including sports associations and the private sector, in order to disseminate a culture of peace and to realize sustainable human development. Furthermore, partnership programmes will also help in combating violence, terrorism, crime, illicit trade in drugs and many other vices that beset our societies.

In accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and the instructions of his brothers, the members of the Federal Supreme Council, the rulers of the emirates, great attention has been devoted to promoting sport in the youth sector, in particular in traditional sport and leisure activities. Efforts made in that direction have resulted in the establishment of the Zayed Sport City in 1979, as a cultural monument in the region, the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports and the National Olympic Committee, which develops strategies to promote and sponsor sport activities in the United Arab Emirates, including training, refereeing and fair competition. Additional substantial budgetary resources were allocated to promote the establishment of new and modern sports clubs, associations and specialized teams and modern stadiums across the country. As a result, the number of sports clubs in the United Arab Emirates has increased from 8 in 1970 to 31 clubs today. The number of sports associations and unions has also increased -- from 3 in 1973 to 23 today -- and that is in addition to 8 girls' clubs and 25 specialized sports clubs, including, among others, a marine club, a disabled persons' club, an equestrian club, a camel-racing club, a chess club and a wrestling club. Those clubs allow the youth of the United Arab Emirates to develop their skills and to participate effectively in many regional and international tournaments and competitions, including the Olympic Games, where they have won several medals -- the most recent case being Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammad al-Hasher al-Maktoum, who won the first gold medal for the United Arab Emirates in the men's double trap-shooting competition at the most recent Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

The United Arab Emirates believes that sport and physical education should hold a fundamental place in the educational system and development, since those disciplines contribute to the physical, psychological, educational and social balance of children and youth. Firmly convinced of that approach, the United Arab Emirates has incorporated physical education in its educational system, including at the primary and university levels, in order to develop the mental, moral, physical and social skills of students.

Many other leisure activities are vigorously pursued in the United Arab Emirates, including those organized through the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts clubs, which are now among the most active movements in Asia, particularly in the field of improving the environment and implementing national programmes to promote public awareness of humanitarian, social, health and development activities.

In conclusion, we hope that the United Nations observance of the International Year of Sport and Physical Education in 2005 will promote the concept of sports for all. We also call for advancing and intensifying international efforts to promote and implement initiatives for the advancement of human development and to integrate sports activities and their noble values in the educational and development strategies and programmes of countries to further interaction and communication among different cultures and civilizations and to build peace. We also look forward to reaching international consensus in order to elaborate an anti-doping convention to prevent the abuse of drugs in all sports activities and to develop sports for youth in a healthy and sound environment that promotes discipline, leadership, self-confidence and interactions among societies.

Mr. Mongkolnavin (Thailand)

My delegation has the pleasure of addressing this Assembly on agenda item 35, "Culture of peace" and agenda item 47, "Sport for peace and development: International Year of Sport and Physical Education".

On agenda item 35, my delegation attaches paramount importance to the culture of peace. The Thai Foreign Minister stressed in his statement, delivered during the general debate, that cultivation of a culture of peace is necessary for today's world. We need to create peace through our diversity and, indeed, through a holistic approach.

In that regard, my delegation welcomes the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), entitled "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010)" (A/59/223), which provides a comprehensive review of the work carried out by various international organizations and recommendations with regard to the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace that will help us realize a culture of peace in eight areas, namely: education; sustainable economic development and social development; respect for all human rights; equality between women and men; democratic participation; understanding, tolerance and solidarity; participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge; and international peace and security.

My delegation shares the viewpoint expressed in paragraph 102 of the report that "it is of paramount importance that Member States develop and sustain action-oriented strategies and activities in support of culture of peace and non-violence", especially for women and children, society's most vulnerable members.

Turning to agenda item 47, my delegation strongly supports the use of sport as a means to cultivate peace, foster understanding and promote development. The current Government views the promotion of sports and health care -- as well as using sport as a means to promote child development and to fight against drug addiction -- as national policies. Therefore, my delegation supports the proclamation of 2005 as the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, which advocates for the concept of "sport for all", the integration of physical education into the educational curriculum and encourages the use of sport as a platform for intercultural, post-conflict, peace-building dialogue and the dissemination of information about the value of sport and physical education for development and peace. In that connection, my delegation also welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the topic, contained in document A/59/268.

Indeed, not only is sport important to us because it helps us to live a healthier lifestyle, it also promotes social interaction, relationships and business partnerships and cultivates a culture of peace. In that regard, my delegation wishes to congratulate Greece for the successful organization of the Olympic Games in Athens.

For our part, my delegation was proud to see Thai athletes participate in the fullest spirit of sportsmanship and with determined dedication in the Olympic Games in Athens. We are also proud of the achievements of our athletes, medal winners or otherwise. Those athletes have indeed succeeded in generating greater awareness of the importance of the true value of sport among the Thai public, as well as acting as an impetus for the Government to reinforce its strategy to raise the standard of sport and promote development of athletic talent in Thailand.

My delegation is of the view that every person, whether young or old, can benefit from sport. Children, in particular, can benefit tremendously from sport, as it helps them in their overall developmental process, promotes their self-expression and helps them to build social connections, as well as keeping them away from illegal activities, such as drugs and crime. This philosophy is in line with the Thai saying that sport is a magic medicine or, in a Western understanding, sport is a panacea.

From the social perspective, my delegation is pleased to see the growing number of women and disabled persons involved in sport. Some of them have become Olympic gold medallists. Sport can also help people living with HIV/AIDS to overcome stigma and discrimination. Through participation in sport, these people can embark on the path of regaining their self-confidence and reintegrating once again into society.

Domestically, the Thai Government fully appreciates the value of sport. This year, many initiatives were introduced in order to promote awareness and better understanding of the value of sport. For example, the Thai Government organized a countrywide outdoor aerobics event, with the Prime Minister playing an instrumental role. This reflects the importance that the Thai people give to sport and the benefits it brings. It is also a manifestation of solidarity and harmony that has brought Thai people from different ages, backgrounds and religions together in a peaceful manner. Last month, a workshop chaired by the Prime Minister was organized in order to discuss the "roadmap for sport" for Thailand, an initiative that is believed to enhance the value of sport and raise the standard of athletic skills and sportsmanship of Thai people, especially children.

In this time of increasing conflicts, sport can be instrumental in developing a platform for intercultural, post-conflict and peace-building dialogue. In addition, sport can play a crucial role in bringing people together after conflict has ended, promoting trust and friendship and helping in the reconstruction process of a community. The United Nations has an important role to play in promoting sport in this regard. To this end, my delegation supports the creation of a code of good practice to enhance the cooperation between Member States and international sports bodies, especially the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which deserves particular commendation for its continued effort in promoting sport as a tool for development and peace. My delegation looks forward to the fourth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials responsible for Physical Education and Sport, to be organized by UNESCO in December this year, to discuss the development-related themes of sport pertaining to the International Year for Sport and Physical Education in 2005.

To conclude, my delegation wishes to pledge our continued support to promoting sport for all and also wishes to urge the United Nations system and its partners to further their efforts in promoting sport for education, health, development and peace through participation through all sectors of the society.

Ms. Tariq Aziz (Pakistan)

A profound transformation is under way in international relations. The dangerous balances of the cold war have been replaced by the complex and equally dangerous realities of our world today. It is a world marked by intensifying globalization -- of economics, production, trade and information, on one side, and terrorist violence, poverty and disease, on the other. The growing asymmetries in power among States, discrimination in the dispensation of international justice, repression of people's legitimate aspirations and growing socio-economic disparities have precipitated new threats to international peace and security. Acknowledging that wars begin in the minds of people and that it is in the minds of people that the defence of peace must be constructed, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace on 13 September 1999.

The Declaration defines this culture of peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours based on the following: respect for life; ending violence and promoting the idea and practice of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation; full respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States and non-intervention in matters that are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law; full respect for and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; commitment to the peaceful settlement of conflicts; and respect for and promotion of the rights of everyone to freedom of expression, opinion and information.

Article 3 of the Declaration proclaims that the fuller development of a culture of peace is integrally linked to the right of all people to self-determination. All people, including those living under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation, are entitled to exercise their inherent right to self-determination. The Declaration further calls for elimination of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance among all civilizations, peoples and cultures, including towards ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. Thus, nations and peoples have separate political existences, but, as the General Assembly has recognized, understanding, tolerance and solidarity among all civilizations, peoples and cultures are essential to promoting a culture of peace. That is the paradigm that must be constructed for the twenty-first century.

In the post-11 September scenario, misunderstandings and suspicions between different faiths and cultures have been accentuated. Some quarters have utilized this to advance their self-serving thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations. Some States that are occupying and oppressing other people have exploited it to justify the repression of people of other faiths and cultures. Extremists commonly vilify other religions and cultures, spreading prejudice and hate. Our own religion, Islam, has been so vilified and defamed. Such dangerous trends are deliberately fuelled by those who believe they will gain from a clash of religions and cultures. These trends of hate and intolerance need to be firmly addressed and effectively reversed by the international community.

Cooperation -- and not the clash of civilizations -- must be the paradigm for our collective endeavours. Promotion of understanding, harmony and cooperation among religions and cultures is the indispensable avenue through which we can lift the veil of ignorance, misconception and prejudice that have become so tragically pervasive in recent times. We agree with the recommendations of the report transmitted by the Secretary-General on a culture of peace that a particularly important dimension of the dialogue among civilizations is inter-religious dialogue, which implies dialogue both among religions and within a single religion. Indeed, the key issue raised by the dialogue among civilizations is the place of ethics in the relationship between societies, peoples and individuals. Inter-religious dialogue could be an important factor in highlighting the dynamic interplay between spiritual traditions and their specific cultures by focusing on their mutual contributions and exchanges.

It is therefore of vital importance that the international community encourage inter-religious organizations and movements working for peace to engage in a more effective and active dialogue and cooperation with a view to promoting harmony and coexistence. Ethnicity, religion, culture, language or race must not be allowed to become a source of divisiveness.

We must be the catalysts of change and not the prophets of doom. We must affirm the indivisibility of the human race. We must reassert our common humanity and common universal values.

The President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, has outlined a concrete strategy of enlightened moderation which seeks to promote socio-economic emancipation, human resource development, and the just and peaceful resolution of disputes, with a view to advancing cooperation and preventing confrontation between cultures and civilizations -- especially between Islam and the West.

Enlightened moderation is a vital strategic option to prevent the current international system from dissolving into interminable conflict and strife. Promoting the concept of enlightened moderation would be a fitting response to the enormous global challenges which the world confronts today.

The Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace encourages Member States to take action for the promotion of a culture of peace at the national and international levels. Accordingly, under this item, during the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly Pakistan initiated a draft resolution for the promotion of religious and cultural understanding, harmony and cooperation, which was adopted by consensus by the General Assembly in February 2004. This year, too, we have submitted a draft resolution under this agenda item highlighting the same principles to enhance human well-being, freedom and progress everywhere by uniting efforts to secure universal peace. It is our hope that the General Assembly will again adopt by consensus Pakistan's draft resolution on the promotion of religious and cultural understanding, harmony and cooperation. That would be a categorical, authoritative and global rejection of the messages of intolerance, hate and discrimination emanating from hate-mongers.

Mr. Kazykhanov (Kazakhstan)

By proclaiming the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, the United Nations has recognized the diverse civilizational achievements of humankind, crystallizing cultural pluralism and creative human diversity.

The report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on agenda item 35 provides an overall strategy on the part of the international community regarding the implementation of the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. It also reflects the broad range of activities carried out by the United Nations system, international institutions and civil society, which together have made an important contribution to the objectives of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World.

We consider it important for UNESCO, as the lead United Nations agency for the Decade, to achieve an effective coordination of the efforts of all the key actors and stakeholders to ensure the consistent implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action.

Another UNESCO report on the promotion of religious and cultural understanding, harmony and cooperation underscores the fact that a particularly important dimension of the dialogue among civilizations is inter-religious dialogue, which is a key factor in highlighting the dynamic interplay between spiritual traditions and their specific cultures.

Resolution 58/128 underlines the importance of promoting understanding and tolerance among peoples in all their diversity in the areas of religion, belief, culture and language. We share the view that, under current conditions, it is of fundamental importance to renew our common commitment to a true culture of peace by strengthening our efforts to develop dialogue and mutual understanding.

Kazakhstan is a peace-loving and tolerant country. Our experience has effectively demonstrated that different ethnic groups, religions and confessions can coexist and flourish in favourable conditions of peace and internal stability. We believe that world religions and confessions could contribute tremendously to the promotion of a culture of peace.

It is precisely for that reason that, at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was convened in our country in September 2003 which enjoyed wide support on the part of the international community. The forum was attended by hierarchs of the main world religions and confessions, who gathered together in Kazakhstan to discuss the most important issues of concern to humankind. The meeting made a valuable contribution to the promotion of a culture of peace and dialogue among civilizations.

The leaders and representatives of world religions, who participated actively in the work of the forum, stated loud and clear that every nation and every religion chooses its own road to the Creator and that they all were against terrorism, fanaticism and religious intolerance. They agreed that it was time to address pressing political and spiritual problems through a constructive inter-religious dialogue and decided to convene such congresses regularly.

Kazakhstan had the privilege of chairing the forum and of leading the process of its institutionalization. In that regard, a secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was established in Kazakhstan. Currently, the secretariat is actively working out a charter of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is to be submitted for discussion at the next meeting of the secretariat of the Congress in May 2005.

The secretariat has endorsed in principle the concept of the second Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is tentatively scheduled to be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, from 12 to 14 September 2006.

We believe that this initiative should be fully supported by the United Nations and promoted by its Member States and by regional and non-governmental organizations. Kazakhstan is open to cooperation with all interested parties in the follow-up of the outcomes of the first Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

Resolution 58/5 recognizes the important role of sport in the implementation of internationally agreed development goals. The report entitled "Sport for peace and development: International Year of Sport and Physical Education" confirms that sport offers a natural partnership for the United Nations and is a powerful instrument through which the Organization can work towards achieving its important goals.

We believe that the proclamation of the year 2005 as the International Year of Sport and Physical Education will broaden the general perception of sport and encourage the further development of intercultural, post-conflict, peace-building dialogue. We believe also that the International Year of Sport and Physical Education provides an opportunity to promote the value of sport, and it is imperative that initiatives within the framework of the International Year have long-term effects.

We reaffirm that sport and physical education play an important role in the promotion of peace and development and friendly relations among nations. They represent effective measures to combat crime as well as drug and tobacco addiction. We also concur with the view that the practice of sport is vital to the holistic development of young people, fostering their physical and emotional health.

The development of sport is a priority area of the national policy of Kazakhstan. The country fully supports the ideals of humanism and friendship between nations. The Republic has set up a paralympic committee and established various sports federations and is strengthening its international ties in the area of sport.

In conclusion, I wish to join other speakers in stressing that today, more than ever, we need to promote the value of peace. Kazakhstan is looking forward to extending continued support for the coordinated efforts to promote sustainable peace and security in the world.

Ms. Gallardo (El Salvador)

My delegation welcomes this opportunity to speak on agenda item 35, "Culture of peace".

The Government of El Salvador has attached particular importance to this item since we signed the 1992 Peace Accords at Chapultepec, Mexico. Salvadorans have embarked on a process of learning how to translate those agreements into true peace. This internal process has paved the way for us to strengthen the rule of law and respect for human rights. We have learned that peace-building, as one of the essential elements of the culture of peace, is possible only if there is resolve on the part of those who have laid down their weapons to enter into a debate and to exchange ideas with regard to the differences that are inherent in every society.

El Salvador would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to working together with the United Nations family to explore, to innovate and to implement initiatives and strategies aimed at fostering the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Unfortunately, the current state of affairs shows that new threats to peace and collective security have arisen that transcend borders. The Government's efforts, at both the national and international levels, are directed towards creating mechanisms to alleviate the worsening social, economic and environmental conditions.

We are fully convinced that preventing frustration, intolerance and violence is at the heart of the very notion of a culture of peace. The manifestations of international terrorism, which are attempting to destabilize the effectiveness of the multilateral system and imperil the maintenance of international peace and security, compel us to redouble our efforts to engage in a dialogue among cultures and religions.

The Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace provides a comprehensive frame of reference within which Governments, international organizations and civil society can direct their activities towards specific actions aimed at the establishment of a culture of peace in the new millennium. In this regard, we endorse sports as a tool that facilitates peaceful coexistence. In that context, El Salvador has joined in sponsoring the draft resolution introduced by Tunisia.

As has been acknowledged on many occasions, peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is an evolving, participatory and dynamic process within society that requires us to be creative, to learn to be tolerant and to engage in dialogue. International cooperation thus provides a mechanism for rapprochement and respect among human beings in the search for solutions to conflicts. But that also involves a degree of responsibility among various cultures and levels of development.

Salvadorans bear faithful testimony to the fact that peace is possible only when the path of national reconciliation is chosen, making room for dialogue to resolve internal disputes, with political will leading to the creation of joint democratic institutional mechanisms, and respect for authority and the rule of law providing for a new form of coexistence. We know that there can be no peace without development. Thus the Government of El Salvador is sparing no effort to achieve a secure peace in which security and development become a way of life for the majority of the people.

In his report contained in document A/59/223, the Secretary-General sets out a number of important elements for our consideration that we must keep in mind as we embark on the task of evaluating progress made in the implementation of the commitments undertaken in the context of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World.

Member States now have an opportunity to share useful experiences in terms of the implementation of these commitments at the national level. The dissemination of values that foster tolerance, peace and learning, through formal and informal education, and of new attitudes and behaviours that instil a culture of peace should be carried out by means of innovative, cross-cutting programmes in public policy -- otherwise, the peace to which we are committed will not be sustained.

The Government of El Salvador agrees with all those who have recognized that the right to peace is a fundamental human right. It is a third-generation right that the General Assembly recognized in resolution 39/11 of 12 November 1984 and that the members of the Organization of American States reaffirmed in the Caracas Declaration, adopted on the occasion of the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of its charter.

We reaffirm our commitment to the education for peace programme, an initiative launched by UNESCO. We are convinced that the teaching of values, behaviours and attitudes necessarily requires a constant learning process in children and adults. Respect for human rights must be learned and transmitted if we are to build a culture of peace. In El Salvador in recent years we have strengthened our approach through innovative programmes to teach the idea of peace at all levels, including through education for boys and girls from a very early age.

As the constitution of UNESCO states, since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. Salvadorans have learned that peace means finding a way of living together with others in friendship, turning to reason and not to violence when our differences set us apart.

In conclusion, we would like the issue of the culture of peace to be included in the framework of the Millennium Development Goals; we should all work together to achieve our common objectives.