© Shutterstock / lzf
International Day of University Sport 2016
Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
University sport has a very special place in the sporting world as a vector of human, social and civic values, fully integrated into the education of today’s and tomorrow’s citizens.
(...) this Day provides a forum to highlight the social role of universities (..) 
By putting sport at the heart of dialogue between teachers and students, this first International Day of University Sport, celebrated by UNESCO and the International University Sports Federation, aims to promote these values among young adults and, through them, to society as a whole.
Dialogue, self-respect and respect for others, fair play and pursuit of excellence are all framing principles of student training. Education and sport need to be at the core of our societies, and this Day provides a forum to highlight the social role of universities and their curricula by making sport available to all and encouraging people to exercise regularly.
Celebration of this International Day also provides an opportunity for UNESCO to reaffirm its commitment to individual and collective development through sport and education, as stated in the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport and the International Convention against Doping in Sport.
In this spirit, UNESCO is proud to support the International University Sports Federation and work together towards upholding a more peaceful and fair sporting and social environment.
Download the message in PDF format
English ǀ Français ǀ Español ǀ Русский ǀ العربية ǀ 中文
SPORT CHARTER
© Shutterstock.com / l i g h t p o e t
The International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport is a rights-based reference that orients and supports policy- and decision-making in sport.
Based on the universal spirit of the original Charter, and integrating the significant evolutions in the field of sport since 1978, the revised Charter introduces universal principles such as gender equality, non-discrimination and social inclusion in and through sport. It also highlights the benefits of physical activity, the sustainability of sport, the inclusion of persons with disabilities and the protection of children.
Essential Reading
Colour? What colour?
Report on the fight against
discrimination and racism in football
Authors
Albrecht Sonntag
David Ranc
Under the coordination of UNESCO and
with the support of Juventus, the report
takes stock of what has been done
and is being done against racism
and discrimination in sport.
Quality Physical Education
Did you know?
-
In 2008, 1.533 billion people were insufficiently physically active.
-
Physically active children are 15% more likely to go to college.
-
Physically active children are less likely to smoke, become pregnant, engage in risky sexual behavior, or use drugs.
-
Kids of active moms are 2x as likely to be active.
-
Physical inactivity is responsible for 6% of coronary heart disease, 7% of type 2 diabetes, and 10% of breast and colon cancers.
-
Sport mobilizes large numbers of committed volunteers, developing skills and networks that are transferable to other areas of social engagement.
-
Investment in sport (time, equipment, facilities) yields three times more than investment in medical costs savings.
-
It is estimated that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), connected to physical inactivity, will be the major cause of death in Africa by 2030.
RELATED INFORMATION
News
-
24.01.17
-
25.11.16
-
03.10.16
To tackle the physical inactivity, pilot countries put Quality Physical Education at the forefront