Play the Game appointed member of UNESCO’s consultative body for sport

This week, the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) has approved Play the Game as a member of their Permanent Consultative Council (PCC). This means that Play the Game will get a possibility of providing advice and technical support to the CIGEPS on par with a number of sports federations, UN agencies and NGO’s.

“We are grateful for being invited into this work at a critical moment for world sport and a crucial time for UNESCO’s role in defining guidelines for governments and sports bodies worldwide,” says Jens Sejer Andersen, Play the Game’s international director.

In November this year, UNESCO’s General Conference in Paris will be asked to adopt a new International Charter for Physical Education, Physical Education and Sport.

The charter gives a number of recommendations and guidelines for all stakeholders involved in sport as to how the most important challenges can be tackled: The declining physical activity, discrimination of women, the need for more social inclusion and child protection, unsustainable sports events, doping, matchfixing and other threats to the integrity of sport.

“It has been very inspiring for us to be involved in the editing of this new charter, and now that the ties to UNESCO are formalised, we look forward to following its implementation. The first step will be taken when leading experts and key stakeholders discuss the new charter at our upcoming Play the Game 2015 conference,” Andersen says.

CIGEPS was established in 1978 to promote the role and value of sport and its inclusion in public policy. CIGEPS is comprised of expert representatives in the field of physical education and sport from 18 UNESCO Member States, each elected for a four year term.  

Together with Play the Game, the Fédération internationale de natation (FINA) have also been approved as members of the CPP.