Paris (WAM)
The UAE Olympic House in Paris, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a high-level dialogue session entitled “Beyond the Olympic Games: The Role of the Olympics and Public Diplomacy in Shaping National Identity”, which highlighted the importance of sports in building cohesive societies towards formulating a lasting legacy at the national and global levels.
HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, opened the session, which was chaired by HE Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by highlighting the UAE’s largest participation in the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, noting the country’s commitment to national sporting values while continuously striving to “learn from best practices and exchange expertise.”
For her part, Her Excellency Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, praised the UAE’s efforts in line with the UAE Centennial Vision 2071, which aims to build a more cohesive society by focusing on the field of sports.
The discussions in the session focused on how sports diplomacy can inspire generations, enhance national social cohesion, social impact, and strengthen international relations. The session included the participation of four main speakers: Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State; Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director General of the General Authority for Sports; Gonul Serbest, Commissioner of the State of Victoria (Australia) to Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and Africa; and Samuel Ducroquet, Ambassador of Sports at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi stressed the role of sports diplomacy in enhancing mutual understanding between peoples and strengthening the bond between traditions and cultures, noting the impact of sports initiatives on communication and consolidating dialogue between generations, and the importance of highlighting the values of the Olympics in striving to achieve excellence and deepen friendship and respect.
Her Excellency explained that the UAE’s support for “Sports Interaction” reflects its firm commitment to promoting the comprehensive concept of the goals and objectives of sports and the positive spirit it spreads, which creates an environment of mutual understanding and dialogue, and enhances our commitment to deepening rapprochement between peoples.
“For us, the Olympics are not just about competing in sports, but also about sharing our culture, spreading the values we share with the world, and a legacy that we will immortalize for future generations,” she added.
For his part, Samuel Ducroquet stressed Paris 2024’s ambition to organize the World Cup in a spirit of solidarity and inclusiveness, by opening the games to local communities and regions.
He explained the importance of taking into account public opinion expectations regarding international events, as it became clear that they are increasingly demanding sustainability and moderation.
For his part, Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajri stressed the UAE’s sports strategy, which prioritizes youth participation, and also touched on a number of benefits that accrue to society.
“Sports have the ability to inspire younger generations to excel, which has a positive impact on various aspects of society. Sports provide opportunities to build bridges and strengthen ties with other countries in the Middle East and beyond,” he said.
Gonul Serbest highlighted Melbourne’s experience and how it has benefited from using sport as a platform to promote inclusivity and unity. By leveraging its rich sporting tradition, the city unites diverse communities around international events such as the Australian Open.
The dialogue session concluded with a call to nations to work on employing sport as a means to strengthen international relations, inspire future generations, and create a lasting legacy, as the UAE remains committed to promoting these principles through continuous participation and cooperation on a global scale.
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