The 2024 Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) was held on 3-4 April 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
The 2024 Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) is a vital forum convened by UNESCO to promote and advance physical education, sport, and their values worldwide. This session brings together representatives from governments, international organizations, and experts in the field to deliberate on key issues related to physical activity, sport development, and policy implementation. Through knowledge-sharing, strategic planning, and collaborative efforts, CIGEPS aims to foster inclusive and sustainable practices that harness the transformative power of physical education and sport for social progress and well-being.
This event followed up the 7th International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VII), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 26 to 29 June 2023, where the Fit for Life Alliance was established. This Global Alliance brings together private and public sector actors to support Fit for Life’s national and international implementation.
During the CIGEPS 2024 the progress made in Fit for Life’s priority action areas, which include advancing social and environmental legacies of major sport events, strengthening the evidence base on the impact of sport, scaling impact investment in sport, championing gender equality and safeguarding, fighting against racism, empowering youth and unlocking the potential of the African sport ecosystem, were presented. An overview of UNESCO’s high-level events for 2024 in connection with the Olympic and Paralympic Games was also provided. The member states, as well as private and public organisations, were present. The UNESCO Chair on Governance and Social Responsibility in Sports were invited and represented by the Course Leader of the BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science programme, Dr Efstathios Christodoulides and the Visiting Assistant Professor in Management (with specialization in Sports) & Director of UNESCO Chair, Dr Christos Anagnostopoulos for HBKU.
The conclusion of the CIGEPS session was marked by the commencement of two follow-up events. Firstly, the ‘Athletes Game On for Peace’, an International Dialogue co-organised by UNESCO and Peace and Sport. At the heart of this event lies the recognition of the influential voices of athletes as pivotal in leading social change in and through sports. These role models and inspirational figures advocate for more inclusive and peaceful societies and inspire children and young people to actively participate in sports and physical activities, nurturing them to become agents of change. Secondly, the ‘Policy Roundtable: Towards a Safer Playing Field’ – Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls in Sport, part of the global priority for UNESCO’s sport flagship, Fit for Life closed this UNESCO Sport Section.
