Declaration on Encouragement of valuable contribution of the Refugees Olympic teams to consolidation of peace and human rights initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was unanimously adopted in Geneva, where 36th session of the United Nations Council for Human Rights is held these days.
I was lately joined by Brazil. 29 countries UN members including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, France, Georgia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Romania, Sudan, South Korea, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, USA, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and other were the co-authors of the document.
According to the Declaration, the countries members of the UN Council on Human Rights welcome the participation of refugees and their teams in large international sport events, which were presented first time at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 2016, athletics world championship on August 4 -13, 2017 in London and now in Turkmenistan at V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which ceremonial opening was held on the day before.
The fact that it was Turkmenistan, which initiated the adoption of this important Declaration on the United Nations Organization level, brightly demonstrated again ever-growing role of our country in solution of global humanitarian issues of today to the world.
In the speech on occasion of the beginning of Ashgabat 2017 Games, Turkmen leader highlighted that the first participation of the refugees’ team at the Asian Games is a subject of special pride. “We are confident that everybody, including the sportsmen who by certain circumstances are not able to play under their national flags, has to have the right to participate in international sport competitions”, - President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated.
As it was highlighted in the breaking news of the world media on this account high humane document of the UN Council for Human Rights initiated by the President of Turkmenistan has found the support of numerous foreign government and international experts in human rights sphere.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of V Asian Games, President of the Asian Olympic Council Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah stated with delight the fact and importance of the participation of sportsmen refugees’ team for the first time in the history of Asian Games.
Sports Coordinator of the UN Department for refugees affairs Claude Marshall called the proposal of our country “very impressive” and summoned other states of the world to follow this example.
Highly appreciating priority position of our state at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Permanent Coordinator of the UN in Turkmenistan Elena Panova spoke of the support of Turkmen side vision of the sports as the most important factor for provision of sustainable development.
In this regard, publication by Elena Panova highlights that conduct of V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat has special significance.Having expressed the gratitude to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the invitation of refugees team to the Games, the Head of the UN Mission to our country makes special accent that this decision highlights the necessity of provision of inclusiveness in all spheres of life what is the indication of the implementation of fundamental principle of the Agenda 2030: no one should be left behind.
Continuing the subject, it is worth mentioning the fact that the representatives of foreign states including American side expressed the gratitude for the opportunity presented to the refugees to participate in large sport events for expansion of the rights and opportunities of refugees as well as trust to them.
Undoubtedly, the adoption of the Declaration on Encouragement of valuable contribution of the Refugees Olympic teams to consolidation of peace and human rights initiated by the President of Turkmenistan is another evidence of high international authority of the country. * * * Declaration on Encouragement of valuable contribution of the Refugees Olympic teams to consolidation of peace and human rights September 15, 2017, Geneva, Switzerland We recognize the potential of sports in encouragement of value of respect, dignity, versatility, equality, tolerance and justice as a method of counteracting all forms of discrimination and encouragement of social integration for all.
In this regard, we welcome the participation of the refugees and refugees teams in large international sport events, which were presented first time at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 2016 and lately at the athletics world championship on August 4 -13, 2017 in London as well as at V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which are to be held on September 17 27, 2017 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Being a symbol of hope in the whole world, the participation of the refugees team is sport event is able to attract global attention to the scale of current crisis of the refuges and increase the awareness on the necessity of solution of this problem.
Countries supporting this declaration welcome the participation of refugees team in large sport events as a method of counteracting any forms of discrimination and support of peace, sustainable developed and human rights.
We do support the inclusion of the refugees into such event as a method of encouragement of trust and respect between the people and nations and support the expansion of the rights and opportunities of the refugees making more favourable conditions for realizations of their rights.
We highly appreciate the efforts of International Olympic Committee, Asian Olympic Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other related international and non-governmental organizations representing the refugees groups.
In the spirit of mutual respect and friendship, we call the states, the UN members for support of the initiative on participation of refugees teams in large international sport competitions and at the same time we strongly encourage host countries to their implementation