UNESCO Conference for Physical Education and Sport.

From July 13-15^th, 2017, I had the privilege of representing the Holy See at the Sixth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI) organized by UNESCO and held in Kazan, Russia.

As the Conference was about to start, all dressed up with my accreditation as a “Permanent Observer” (The Holy See is a Permanent Observer at UNESCO in Paris) and riding the elevator at the conference venue, I imagined myself having to give answer to representatives of a more “radically secular” persuasion, What business does the Holy See, have being here at a UN conference? And on the subject of sport at that!  I had noticed myself and others eyeing each other’s accreditation passes trying to figure out who was who.  Over the course of the two days of “diplomacy”, I was to find out why I was there for the Holy See.

Approximately 200 member states, non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations met to discuss, redact and approve a previously-prepared plan attempting to establish a framework for action in three main challenges facing sport and physical education today: giving inclusive access to sport for all (women, children, elderly and the physically and mentally challenged); maximizing the potential of sport in the areas of sustainability development and peace; and, integrity in sport.  

Improving the human condition

I very soon realized that as a representative of the Holy See, I was in the right place.  Gathered were a group of sports and educational professionals interested in improving the human condition.  These were “people of good will”.  The Church with her unique perspective as specifically a religiously-motivated entity has a unique perspective on the human condition.  The Church can always bring something “extra” to the dialog table. Just being present as an official representative of the Church was a very tangible way of lending support to the common endeavor for good.  My presence was a statement: the Church is interested, is involved and walks together with all people of good will in all aspects of their lives.

I partook in many interesting fun and even serious conversations. It is not rare to meet participants who are alumni of Our institutions of higher learning.   Perhaps my most interesting conversation over the course of the two days was the Minister of Education for Zimbabwe, who sat in front of me during the proceedings.  As we were flying back home, I asked him at the airport if this Conference was helpful to him.  He answered without hesitation.  Above all, it served as a sign of confirmation for him and for the educational reforms of the last two to three years that he was enacting in his country.  Returning to his country, he was now ready to face the opposition with renewed confidence.  It had been tough going since there was opposition to certain aspects of the reforms.  I also asked in a friendly way if the I hoped the Jesuits were not causing too many problems!  He assured me that on the contrary, they, along with a congregation of Dominican sisters, were of help to him in education.

Being a female and religiously motivated athlete

One keynote address especially resonated at the Conference. Ms. Aya Medany, a former modern pentathlon champion from Egypt and now a “Champion of Peace and Sport” related her very personal experiences and challenges of being a female and religiously motivated athlete in Egypt.  Her sport federation challenged her on several occasions not to wear the hijab during competitions which she had chosen to wear as a sign of her giving glory to God.

Interventions, especially from the richer nations, highlighted the issues of match-fixing, making sports and physical education accessible to the elderly and disabled (or better, “differently-abled”), protection for whistle-blowers and the importance of independent and free investigative journalism.  The developed nations reasserted the need for clean sport if there is to be a future for sport; while for the poorer nations, the Conference served as an impulse of renewed hope and energy for reform in their contexts. Overall, there was a very good spirit about the Conference.  

In this unexpected request from the Vatican, I was given to realize yet another long forgotten desire of mine since high school.  I was always very interested in international relations and diplomacy.  I actively participated in “Model UN”, an extracurricular activity where each school’s team represented a particular nation at the “general assembly” of all participating schools in a “model” United Nations.  Never had I imagined that this would somehow play out in reality some 35 years later!