Monaco has initiated a Joint Declaration highlighting the important role that sport and physical activity played during the coronavirus crisis and calling on all countries to include these in their Covid-19 recovery plans.
The 19-point declaration released on Friday supports the World Health Organisation’s recommendation that all healthy adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, per week and that children do at least 60 minutes per day.
It highlights the role that sport and physical activity play in both the physical and mental health of people during lockdown, and suggests that the digital tools used for physical activity during this time be developed in the future.
It also recommends that sporting organisations be supported in their return to normalcy, declaring: “We are convinced that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and all postponed events will, when invited, have a special place in the history of sport. They will be a symbol of unity and solidarity following the pandemic. We commend the tireless efforts made by the stakeholders involved in this report.”
118 member states supported the joint declaration drawn up by the co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Sustainable Development, the Ambassador of Monaco to the UN Isabelle Picco, and her counterpart from Qatar, Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani.
In accordance with the biennial resolution of the UN General Assembly on sport, also negotiated by the delegation of Monaco, the declaration also stresses the importance of sport for sustainable development , the building of peaceful societies and socio-economic development.
“For these reasons,” concludes the declaration, “we call on all States to include sport and physical activity in their recovery plans for after Covid-19 and to integrate sport and physical activity into their national sustainable development strategies.”