On Monday night CET the United Nations General Assembly, with the consensus of all its members, adopted a resolution initiated by Hungary to declare 19 May as World Fair Play Day. The news was announced by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó on his Facebook page on Tuesday morning. ‘Today began with a major Hungarian success in New York in the year of the Olympics!’ Szijjártó wrote.
The resolution initiated by Hungary was eventually co-sponsored by 92 states. This means that not only did 92 UN member states support the Hungarian initiative, but these 92 countries also made a symbolic commitment by adding their names to the resolution, thereby signalling their full agreement with the initiative.
‘The negotiations led by Hungary have resulted in a global coalition
that includes the support of China, the United States, Germany, South Korea, Indonesia, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates,’ Szijjártó wrote.
The Hungarian FM pointed out that ‘with 92 countries behind us, we have succeeded in asserting, in the largest international forum, an approach that reinforces the spirit of sportsmanship and the values it represents, such as respect for the rules, respect for the opponent, and the fight against violence and doping.’
‘We still remember the peace-building role of the Olympics, which is undisputed. We recall athletes from warring countries embracing each other in the arena or on the field after a match. Now, we want the whole world to remember this. That is why it is a great achievement that the negotiations led by Hungary have succeeded in bringing together such a broad coalition behind our initiative,’
Szijjártó stated.
The foreign minister added that, with just three weeks to go before the start of the Paris Olympics, it is no exaggeration to say that this is the biggest global stand for the independence of sport. It is also a stand against forming blocs once again after the Cold War. ‘And all this is linked to Hungary,’ Szijjártó stressed.
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