GCC States Underline Importance of Spreading Human Rights Values in Sports

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have underlined their firm belief in the importance of spreading human rights values in sports and through sports, as it is a right that must be exercised away from any form of discrimination, in addition to being a tool that contributes to spreading many high principles in society such as freedom, tolerance, mutual respect, and peace. This came in a statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva, Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah, on behalf of the GCC States, in her capacity as Chair of the Gulf Group, during the "panel discussion on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal," within the framework of the 56th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The GCC States stressed the necessity of adopting sport as a global language that contributes to spreading a culture of respect, dignity, diversity, and equality, noting that it helps in overcoming all differences, prejudices, and stereotypes and c ontributes to strengthening the principle of equality and the integration and empowerment of weak and marginalized groups. The GCC States indicated that they had taken several measures in support of human rights in and through sports, explaining that sports work has received common attention at the GCC level since the first years of its establishment through the heads of the Olympic committees of the GCC States, outlining a set of common principles to advance the sports sector in them, similar to developing a general strategy for developing sports, introducing Olympic principles, spreading sportsmanship, and preserving sports identity in the GCC States, in addition to working to spread the principle of citizenship through sports on the largest scale, and supporting partners from the media and educational institutions in achieving that goal. Source: Qatar News Agency