The Union Association for Human Rights, in cooperation with the International Human Rights Institute (INHR), organized a high-level international symposium titled: Sports, Culture and Human Rights.

This side event took place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on March 25, 2025, on the sidelines of the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Main Speakers:

• Dr. Eric Richardson, President and Founder of INHR, Former President of the UN Human Rights Commission (Moderator)
• Ms. Sylvia Poll, Olympic Champion, Senior Advisor on Gender and Youth Affairs to the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union – Geneva
• H.E. Amb. Prof. Muhammadou Kah, Ambassador of the Republic of The Gambia & Permanent Representative to the United Nations
• Dr. Fatima Khalifa Al-Kaabi, President of the Union Association for Human Rights – United Arab Emirates
• Counselor Maryam Al-Ahmadi, Vice Chairperson of the Union Association for Human Rights
• Christophe Mbedi, Head of Tala Mosika, River of Hope, Music and Human Rights, DRC
• Sanjay Sethi, Co-Executive Director, Artistic Freedom Initiative

Symposium Content:

• The essential role of sports and culture in fostering human values and advancing human rights.
• International legal frameworks such as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace and the International Convention against Apartheid in Sports.
• The intrinsic link between sports and fundamental rights—health, education, participation, equality, and protection.
• The UAE’s leading experience in utilizing sports and culture to uphold human dignity, especially through:
  • Empowering women and girls in the sports sector.
  • Hosting global sports events as tools to promote peace.
  • Adopting “Sports for All” policies and building inclusive facilities for people of determination.
• The role of culture and the arts in voicing human rights issues in non-liberal contexts.
• The contributions of the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace and youth aikido-based nonviolent defense initiatives.

Significance of the Symposium:

• The symposium serves as a unique international platform highlighting the complementary relationship between sports, culture, and human rights.
• It promotes global awareness of the importance of integrating sports and arts into human rights policies.
• It emphasizes the power of soft tools like sports in building inclusive and tolerant societies.

Level of Participation:

• Official delegations of Human Rights Council member states.
• International observers and human rights experts.
• Representatives of international NGOs and UN-accredited media.
• Notable participation from academics, athletes, artists, and civil society representatives.

Key Recommendations:

• Integrating human rights principles into the policies and institutions of sports and culture.
• Launching public awareness campaigns linking sports values to fundamental rights.
• Enhancing international cooperation and knowledge-sharing on the use of sports and culture in human rights development.
• Supporting regional and local initiatives aimed at empowering women and youth in cultural and sports sectors.
• Documenting and presenting successful Arab initiatives, especially the UAE’s experience, on UN platforms.