United Nations Secretary-General endorses youth initiative of the Global Sport Fund
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon paid an historic visit to the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) building on Saturday afternoon, November 29, 2008, where as the guest of His Excellency Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of the QOC, he strongly endorsed the Global Sport Fund project to continue its work helping youth to use sport as a vehicle to build needed social skills.
Accompanied by his wife, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, took a break from the major UN Conference on Financing Development that he is Co-Chairing with His Highness The Emir of the State of Qatar, to tour the Global Sport Fund < www.globalsportfund.com > offices that is located on the 15 th floor of the QOC building in Doha.
Sheikh Saoud and officials of the QOC warmly welcomed the Secretary-General and Madam Ban and accompanied the couple on a tour of the only United Nations office that is co-located with a National Olympic Committee anywhere in the world. This offices is the world headquarters of a Fund that serves as the hub for a unique partnership between the two organisations to help the world's youth with opportunities to fulfill their potential, while keeping away from drugs and delinquency.
Sheikh Saoud introduced the Secretary-General to the team of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mr. Bernard Frahi, Deputy Director, Division for Operations, Mr. Mohamed Al-Mulla, Regional Programme Coordinator, GCC Countries, and Mr. Carl Marsh, Global Sport Fund Project Coordinator.
On the tour Mr. Ban viewed a photo history of various activities carried out by the project, such as the first football youth camp that was first held in Doha in 2003 and, which was followed by another in Jounieh, Lebanon, in 2007. Children wearing GSF insignias at various sports development sites in Palestine and Tunisia sponsored by the QOC were also on display to help spread the Global Spot Fund message to youth. Mr. Ban took keen interest in seeing a video of the 100 youngsters and coaches going through the paces at the Lebanon camp and commended favourably on the importance of carrying forward these successes to help more boys and girls around the world take their rightful place in society.
Before leaving the Global Sport Fund's office, Mr. Ban praised the United Nations and QOC teams for the stellar work they were carrying out. He signed the guest book and put the first signature on the souvenir flag of the Global Sport Fund.
At the press conference, Sheikh Saoud expressed his thanks and appreciation to the United Nations Secretary-General and his wife for paying this historic visit to the Qatar Olympic Committee to witness first hand the operations of the Global Sport Fund. He presented Mr. Ban with a QOC commemorative plate to mark the occasion.
The United Nations Secretary-General read a statement to the press that acknowledged the clear vulnerability of young people in parts of the world to the risk of drug addiction, becoming child soldiers, or victims of human trafficking that require action in both poor and rich countries alike. He described the challenge of societies to give young people the skills and opportunities they need to make informed choices that would help them lead safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
He said also that he welcomed learning about the teamwork between the QOC and the United Nations through the efforts of Global Sport Fund to help young people participate in the fun of amateur sports that help to bring together parents, teachers, coaches and role models in the community. Mr. Ban thanked the Government of Qatar for its support for this worthy effort.
At the end of Mr. Ban's remarks
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some of George Town University students asked some questions which the UN official was happy to answer.
The QOC Secretary General along with other senior QOC officials saw off the UN Secretary-General who returned to the UN Conference. Madam Ban was taken to the Aspire Academy, Qatar's premier sports training facilities, where she was taken on a tour.
2009 is seen as the year for scaling up the GSF activities to attain the following goals:
l Youth Camps : A total of seven youth camps to graduate 1155 GSF Youth Ambassadors and 245 Coach Ambassadors. Graduates of the programme would be assisted to expand the programme back in their communities with the opening of youth-in-sport activities in other communities.
l Grant Awards : Up to 50 grant awards are planned for NGOs and community-based organizations that would run youth-in-sport activities that would directly benefit an estimated 10,000 youngsters enrolled. A multiplier effect is envisaged through replication that would be supported by the GSF core operations.
l Instructional Tools : More learning tools are to be developed and made available on the website for NGOs, clubs and associations, coaches, youth and other interested persons to download material for use. Eventually an on-line learning system for purposes of accrediting trainees who take courses is to be developed.
l Fund -raising: To ensure a robust Fund to deliver on its commitments, the GSF will be seeking to expand its list of donors and sponsors.
