More than 600 participants (Ministers, senior government officials, and key sport stakeholders) gathered in Berlin, Germany, in May 2013 for the 5th MINEPS Conference.

Key themes

Key themes were proposed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport and included

a) the access to sport as a fundamental right for all (women and girls, inclusion of persons with disabilities),

b) promoting investment in sport and PE programmes (quality physical education, sport mega events), and

c) sport integrity (commitment to the values of sport and the fight against match fixing, illegal betting, doping, and corruption in sport).

The Conference was co-organized by UNESCO and the Government of Germany, represented by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), with the support of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE).

Outcomes

At the end of the meeting, the Declaration of Berlin was unanimously adopted by the 121 represented Member States.

The over 70 detailed commitments and recommendations concern an improved access to physical education and sport, especially for women, girls and people living with a disability.

These recommendations also call for an increased investment in physical education and sport, recognizing their socio-economic benefits including impact on public health and social inclusion.

They also call for measures to safeguard the integrity of sport, notably from the fraudulent manipulation of sport competitions.

UNESCO’s Director-General was invited to present the Declaration and its Annex to the 37th session of the General Conference. Moreover, a revision of UNESCO’s International Charter of Physical Education and Sport was recommended.