Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to be with you here today.
We are here to speak about sports and human rights. If there is no fair play, integrity and impartiality, there will be recklessness, irregularities and violations. If there is no accountability for these violations, the rules, and the game are lost.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sports and human rights are mutually reinforcing. Sports can be a universal language, has a strong potential to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in the way that it can significantly contribute to enhancing solidarity, diversity, equality, tolerance, and fairness at all levels. Values such as integrity, transparency, and respect for human rights should always be the values that govern the game in all the Sports.
It is from this notion that the idea of a regular organization of sporting events, at different regions of the world, particularly mega-ones like the World Cup, the Olympics and Paralympic games, and the athletics championships, has appeared and developed. These mega sporting events proved to be driving tools for fostering economic development, promoting awareness and understanding, and enhancing values of respect and social inclusion for all people. Therefore, we always stress the need for these events to be organized in a spirit of peace, mutual understanding and friendship.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The State of Qatar is the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup which is the first mega-sporting event to take place in the region. We will also host another major sporting event in the upcoming year which is the athletics 2019 World Championships. We have always seen these events as unique opportunities to disseminate and consolidate the values of fraternity, solidarity, peace and human rights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion, I look forward to seeing all of you in Doha and to welcoming you with our truly Arab hospitality during the 2022 World Cup and other mega sporting events in the upcoming years.
While doing so, I wish fruitful deliberations and successful outcomes for this important and timely event, and I thank you for your attention.