The Plenary of the UN General Assembly adopted a decision on Friday, 23 August 2013, proclaiming 6 April as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
The General Assembly’s decision was adopted unanimously by the member states, in the presence of the President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr. Jacques Rogge, athletes and other personalities, while the official session was followed by a conference dedicated to the role of Sport in development and peace.
The choice of 6 April as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace was made following a Greek proposal to the UN, given that it was the opening day of the modern Olympic Games – in Athens, in 1896 – and the revival of the Olympic Ideal.
Greece – as the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the Olympic ideal, and as one of the countries that lends practical support to global sport cooperation and systematically promotes the idea of the revival of the Olympic Truce – was one of the principle actuators and sponsors of this worthy initiative, believing that sport plays a key role in promoting world peace, mutual understanding, eradication of discrimination, fair play and development, as well as in promoting international brotherhood and cooperation.
August 28, 2013