Page 57 - Coespu Magazine 2018-2

th
In the same vein, in August 2013 the General Assembly adopted the resolution A/RES/67/296, establishing 6 April
as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP).
Creating a historical link to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the International Day of Sport for Development
and Peace is an annual event, celebrated each year ever since 2014, dedicated to the power of sport to drive social
change, community development and to foster peace and understanding. An initiative strongly supported by IOC, in
its capacity of UN Permanent Observer, aiming to recognize sports organisations’ role and contribution to social
th
change and human development. More specifically, 6 April is a global opportunity to highlight how sport and the
Olympic community can help to foster peace, reconciliation and development, and underline the power of the
Olympic Games to promote tolerance and solidarity among the participants, fans and people all over the world.
In accordance with the romantic visions of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who decided to bring the ancient Olympic
Games back to life in 1894, also CoESPU is strongly convinced that sport is ideally suited for educating people,
especially children and youth, in a spirit of mutual honor and respect.
Knowledge of and respect for other cultures, beliefs, religions and gender as the source of peace between people: this
is the basis for a better future, and in fact we all enjoy watching the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, appreciating
our athletes, and thanking their opponents for competing with them, even after losing.
And all this happens in a stadium, over which the Olympic peace torch burns and the
white flag, with its colored five rings symbolizing friendship between everyone in the
world, flies in an atmosphere of freedom and peace.
This alone makes sport worthy of tribute as a really big “Peacemaker”.

Written by:

Capt Alberto VERONESE
CoESPU Managing Editor

55