Director General/Executive Director
Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Fair play, tolerance and team spirit: sports have a unique potential to help develop and reinforce positive life skills and values, and expand prospects.
I very much welcome this discussion on how the international community can make more effective use of sport to empower young people, prevent violence and crime, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The importance of young people as agents for change, and involving them in reducing crime and drug use, as well as promoting a culture of lawfulness, was highlighted in the 2015 Doha Declaration, adopted by the Thirteenth UN Crime Congress.
Sports offer both a means of engagement and a path for prevention.
In response, UNODC is raising awareness and promoting the benefits of sports in keeping young people away from crime and violence.
This work is part of our global youth crime prevention initiative, supported by Qatar under our global programme to promote implementation of the Doha Declaration.
Through the launch of the campaign "Line Up Live Up", a life-skills training curriculum we designed with experts from around the world, including from the International Olympic Committee and FIFA, we are focusing on young people to foster their development and help prevent anti-social, risky and delinquent behaviour.
UNODC started piloting Line Up Live Up in Brazil, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan last year.
Since then, some one hundred and fifty coaches have been trained, and one thousand young people have taken part.
Through such approaches, UNODC is helping to achieve the SDGs - in particular SDG Sixteen on peaceful, just and inclusive societies, but also SDG targets on good health and well-being, education and reducing inequalities.
And we can and must do much more together.
Not just sports, but major sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup, have the power to inspire and build bridges.
We must take these events as golden opportunities to raise awareness, to promote tolerance and respect, and advance efforts towards peace and achieving the SDGs.
Unfortunately, big sporting events can also be exploited by those engaged in corrupt and criminal activities, such as match-fixing or illegal gambling.
UNODC is therefore actively working with governments and other partners such as the Asian Football Confederation, FIFA, International Olympic Committee, UEFA and World Rugby, to tackle corruption in sport and promote its integrity.
Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Prevention must be at the core of our everyday work at the United Nations, as Secretary-General António Guterres has said many times.
Prevention of conflict, of radicalization to violent extremism and terrorism, prevention of violence, illicit drug use and crime.
To do this, we need to build resilience, promote opportunity and avert the fraying of the social fabric that binds us.
Sports have a clear role to play in these efforts.
Sports offer a practical and cost-effective means to help prevent violence and crime, and contribute to efforts to prevent crisis and protect progress.
Athletes can serve as important role models for young people, demonstrating the value of dedication, practice, team work and perseverance.
This event is a wonderful opportunity to further advance awareness of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and its vital message.
Let us take this chance to engage with sports champions and young men and women around the world.
Working together, we can harness sport as a force for positive change.
Thank you.
