The ceremony to celebrate World Fair Play Day 2023
The ceremony to celebrate World Fair Play Day 2023 was held this Thursday 7th September. This 4th edition of the event was honoured by the presence of a very special guest: Berit Reiss-Andersen, President of the Norwegian Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize, who was presented with the European Fair Play Movement’s 1st “Sport for Peace Award” by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The ceremony was dedicated to “Peace Through Sport”.
Since 2020, at the initiative of Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles and in partnership with all of the international institutions operating in some 180 countries (the International Committee for Fair Play, Panathlon International and the European Fair Play Movement), World Fair Play Day has been celebrated around the world every 7th September.
The aim of this special day is to underline the fact that Fair Play needs to be promoted both through large-scale operations, as well as through simple gestures. All athletes, sportsmen and women, coaches, referees, supporters, volunteers, managers, teachers, physical education instructors, school heads, parents, public representatives and institutions, etc. are invited to take practical action wherever they can on the ground to encourage sportsmen and women, young people and all those around them to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in all circumstances. The aim is to make this Day a genuine celebration of Fair Play in sport and to show the
positive impact it has on society.
A perpetual calendar for a Fair Play world
You may remember, in 2022, a video clip was specially designed for the previous edition of World Fair Play Day, featuring “face cams” of people saying “Fair Play is every day” in their own language (* French, English, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Albanian, sign language, Hindi, Tamil, Mandarin, Swahili, Urdu, Turkish and Arabic.).
This year, and following on from last year’s commitment to greater Fair Play in sport and society, the international partners have unveiled a new and original tool to promote Fair Play: the “perpetual calendar for a Fair Play world”. This calendar provides 365 practical examples reminding us that Fair Play is a value that needs to be integrated into all aspects of life, from sport and education, right through to general citizenship. This innovative calendar illustrates
the fact that we all have a role to play in changing the rules for achieving fairer sport and a fairer society. Each day of the calendar features a practical example of Fair Play.
Presentation of the first “Sport for Peace Award"
The Norwegian Jury for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is usually responsible for choosing the winners, has itself been honoured for its fundamental contribution to promoting peace. Each year, the Jury’s task is to select the individual or community that has worked most effectively to bring people closer together, as well as reducing standing armies and promoting progress towards peace.
Sport has also played a significant role on many occasions in this quest for peace. This undeniable truth has led the European Fair Play Movement to create the prestigious “Sport for Peace Award”. To inaugurate the list of recipients, this responsibility needed to be entrusted to an indisputable authority in the field of peace. By honouring Berit Reiss-Andersen and the whole of her jury, the world of sport is paying tribute to the tireless work that they do, showcasing winners who help to create the conditions needed to achieve lasting peace in the world.
Berit Reiss-Andersen emphasised that “Fair Play, when applied to human activities of all kinds, would contribute towards a better world for everyone.”
The International Fair Play Passport
The "International Fair Play Passport" was born in Olympia, on June 3, 2023 in a collaboration between the Italian Olympie Academy (AONI) and the Hellenic Olympie Academy (HOA), under the auspices of the International Fair Play Committee, the European Fair Play Movement, the !talion Olympie Committee (CONI), the Hellenie Olympie Committee, the ltalian National Fair Play Committee and the National Platform for Sport lntegrity. His programme was created to promote Olympie values and values in all sports.
While our passports today, define our national borders, the "International Fair Play Passport" goes beyond them uniting all territories and people worldwide regardless of their different national identities.
For the holders of the "International Fair Play Passport", respect is the number one rule. Not only in sports but also in everyday life, sport associations, schools, and within families, as it is a way of thinking, a way of behaving, and a philosophy of life...
The "International Fair Play Passport" has the potential to shape a global sports culture and a total inclusion within sports; since Olympie Values have a strong social impact against deception, physical and verbal abuse/violence, exploitation, excessive commercialization and corruption.
Finally, an important element is that the "International Fair Play Passport" con be used as a prestigious award at events and programmes as a way to encourage the development of Olympie values in each country.
Two special artistic interludes for this ceremony
A Violin For Peace Performed by Ukrainian violinist, Myroslava Kotorovyck, and a quartet from the Chamber Orchestra of Huy, the ceremony was punctuated by a musical performance entitled “A Violin For Peace”. This work was orchestrated by Belgian composer, Luc Baiwir.
Dancing for peace Represented by Norwegian dancer Selina Jappee, the International Dance Organization (IDO), a member of the European Fair Play Movement and one committed to cultural harmony and international understanding, marked the celebration of World Fair Play Day with an artistic dance performance choreographed specially for the occasion.
This 4th edition of World Fair Play Day demonstrated the power of Fair Play in promoting peace, both through sport and artistic expression. It also celebrated the inspiring individuals and organisations that are helping to create a more harmonious and respectful world.
26.09.2023
