Sport can play an important role in combating racism, intolerance and discrimination, but also present challenges in the areas of equality and fairness, participants said 19 April at the opening of a two-day OSCE meeting.
The meeting, organized by the OSCE’s 2012 Irish Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brought together representatives of governments and of civil society organizations working to combat discrimination and intolerance from the Organization’s 56 participating States and Partners for Co-operation.
Irish Ambassador Eoin O’Leary, the Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, said that the significant role sport plays in many societies meant that it had the potential to be a positive force in fighting racism and discrimination.
“Sporting events can and do serve as a mechanism to build confidence and mutual understanding, and promote tolerance and respect between different communities,” O’Leary said. “Furthermore, they serve to highlight the important role of sport in promoting integration, equality and tolerance in society at large.” (Press release by the OSCE)
Read more: http://www.osce.org/cio/89814
