PRESS RELEASE

The Declaration notably proclaims "the importance of physical education and sport as an essential element and an integral part in the process of continuing education and human and social development."

Such meetings of ministers and senior officials responsible for physical education and sport have been organised every decade since MINEPS I which was held in Paris in 1976. MINEPS II took place in Moscow in 1988. They aim to assess developments in sport and physical education world-wide, to determine strategies and measures which will translate into action the principles of UNESCO's International Charter of Physical Education and Sport, the Olympic Charter and the various existing international instruments in this field.

MINEPS III, held at the invitation of the government of Uruguay, was opened by the host country's President, Julio María Sanguinetti, who stressed that sport is, today more than ever, at the crossroads of all human developments. He declared: "If doping exists in sport, it is because drug abuse exists in the society we live in. It is in sport that we will find the tools to solve this social problem."

Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), recalled that the practice of sport is today a universal phenomenon, but, he said, "it is anything but a priority in countries facing socio-economic and political problems." He added: "Sport must help to produce enlightened men and women who are capable of generous initiatives for the benefit of society. But unfortunately, the trend is for physical education to be reduced on the programmes of schools and universities all over the world, under the pressure of budget restrictions and preference given to other subjects."

The Conference, chaired by Uruguay's Minister of Education and Culture Yamandu Fau, adopted recommendations and a Declaration which highlights the importance of physical education and sport for health and its contribution "to social cohesion, mutual tolerance and the integration of different ethnic and cultural minorities". In the Declaration, the ministers note with deep concern that, "in spite of the expansion of elite sport and sport for all programmes in recent years, opportunities for children to participate in physical education have been significantly curtailed."

The ministers also emphasise "the ethical values of sport and urge all countries, both developed and developing, to work together to combat unethical behaviour, including doping in sport." They also support a policy of preserving and enhancing traditional and indigenous sports based on the cultural heritage of regions and nations, and urged UNESCO, "in conjunction with other United Nations specialised agencies and the IOC, to prepare a comprehensive programme for financial and technical assistance to the developing countries".

The recommendations also request that physical education and sport be taken into account "as a social investment" in the context of new loans that international financial bodies may grant for health and education. A separate recommendation calls for a mobilisation of "intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, the public and private sectors, and international financial institutions to co-operate in the promotion and development of physical education as an integral part of lifelong education". Regarding international co-operation, the recommendations emphasise the importance of ethical behaviour in sport, particularly the need to combat doping, by developing information and training on this problem, developing and implementing national anti-doping policies, acceding to the Anti-doping Convention of Strasbourg and supporting the recently created World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).

Speaking at the close of MINEPS III, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura stressed the fact that "the consensus which was expressed during the conference on issues as essential as the will to promote sport for all and extend its practice to all population groups, to develop sport in schools and universities, to safeguard the ethical and moral values of sport, reinforce co-operation between public authorities and voluntary organisations and to reduce the gap between nations concerning sport." He highlighted the fact that "it has been clearly recognised by all participants that physical education and sport are an essential component of lifelong education and that every education system must give physical education an appropriate place to strike a balance and strengthen the links with learning in the classroom".

The Director-General also spoke of UNESCO's role as a catalyst in this field and expressed agreement with the participants' wish to see the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) become more actively engaged. He also came out in favour of the development of international co-operation with a view to narrowing "the gaps and the inequalities between countries in the field of physical education and sport." He concluded by speaking of the risks threatening sport - excessive commercialisation and advertising, doping, violence and chauvinism - and declared: "In spite of all these problems, sport is for many if not most people, a unique source of self-improvement, a fine school of good human relationships and a civilised form of individual and group competition."

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