16 June 2014

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Madam Minister,
Our future Ambassadors,

I would like to start by welcoming you to the “Children for child’s rights side-event” organized to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child into our mythic Room XX.

I was told to be concise since the stars of the evening are the children so I will just say a few words.

The United Nations in general, and the Human Rights Council in particular, have developed several tools dedicated to the promotion and protection of the Child’s rights and the Convention on the rights of the child is one of its cornerstones. Today’s event focuses on the role of education and sport in the promotion and protection of our future generations’ rights.

It is indeed widely recognized that education and sport cannot be considered a luxury in any society but are rather an important investment in the present and future of our nations. Otherwise many of the achievements of the mankind would have remained at the level of dreams.

Sport has a major positive impact in children’s growth such as physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction but also conveys values such as fair competitiveness, respect for opponents, diversity and tolerance. It is also an integration tool and social ladder for the individual as well as for his country of origins.

The Council has started to take action towards the promotion of these values through its resolution 13/27 (2010) aimed at combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in sport. It should spare no efforts to promote children’s rights in general and education and sport as a tremendous tool towards the full enjoyment of a large number of their rights.

I will conclude by saying that working in the Human Rights Council requires at least being a talented long distance runner.