Doha, April 06 (QNA) - HE Minister of Sports and Youth Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali underlined that the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is an annual celebration launched by the United Nations General Assembly to expand awareness of the positive role that sport has in serving the society and consolidating the pillars of development and peace across the world.

In a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, which falls on April 6 of each year, HE the Minister of Sports and Youth said the celebration is an important occasion to inspire influential individuals and organizations related to sport to have a role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
HE the Minister added that the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is celebrated this year under the theme Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sport which represents an opportunity to evoke the power of sports to foster social bonds, promote peace and solidarity, and enlighten the peoples of the world about the importance of sport as a tool for prevention, protection, awareness and sustainability.
He noted that sport, in its comprehensive concept, is a common national and international language, and one of the most effective tools that can be harnessed for many constructive goals; it is a powerful platform for communication, and an effective tool for rapprochement, integration and participation, which must be invested in to achieve noble goals and achieve lofty goals such as development and peace.
This interactive sector is inseparable from other sectors. Sporting events can help promote social development, economic growth, health, education and environmental protection, especially if they were part of integrated, coordinated, sustainable and long-term policies at the national, regional and international levels, HE the Minister continued.
HE the Minister of Sports and Youth underlined that sport is a strategic choice for the State of Qatar, whether in enhancing its position at the regional and international levels, or in human development, through the use of sport in developing generations that enjoy physical fitness, psychological health, behavioral discipline and values based on the foundations of tolerance, cooperation and interaction with the other, as well as productivity and facing challenges positively.
He noted that the State of Qatar is a pioneer in dedicating a national day for sports, based on its belief that sport is a key to promoting development and enabling peace, thus implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this context, HE the Minister pointed out that the State of Qatar hosted more than 500 international sporting events in the past 15 years, at a time when the country is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, an occasion that constitutes an incentive for the State of Qatar and the region to accelerate social progress and building a better future for coming generations, by involving the public in the implementation of sustainability policies and creating public awareness that is reflected in the implementation of climate change policies in the world.
HE the Minister pointed to the "Generation Amazing" initiative which was launched by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy with the aim of using football for development approach and addressing social issues in countries with specific needs, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
In conclusion, HE Minister of Sports and Youth Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali called for joint cooperation in order to make sport a means to enhance the pillars of sustainable development and consolidate the principles of peace around the world. (QNA)