Cyprus Sports Organization (CSO) participated at the 7th International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VII) organized by UNESCO in Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 26-29.
According to a CSO press release, the main topic was the "FIT FOR LIFE" initiative which aims to accelerate the recovery of sports in the post-COVID era, support inclusive policy-making, improve well-being and youth empowerment, enhance the provision of quality physical education and actively promote equality.
In her address, CSO DG Mary Charalambous Papamiltiades said the initiative is "an important tool for systematic and multi-level cooperation between many and different partners, both at national and international level".
She noted that it is an ambitious effort and a great challenge, since its integration into national policies and its subsequent implementation requires the evaluation of various parameters, such as the particularities of each cultural context in which it is applied and the different cultures, practices and procedures of each country.
Additionally, the CSO DG emphasized that the successful implementation of this initiative presupposes, among other things, the adoption of effective coordination and priority setting mechanisms and the clarification of the financing of the action.
In the context of the Conference, updating of the existing Guidelines for Integrity in Sports was also discussed. Papamiltiades pointed out the need to include in the specific document important initiatives and actions of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe, such as the results of the IPACS Task Force 3 group, the newly established network of judges for the sport (MARS) and the European programme All In Plus for the promotion of gender equality in sports in which Cyprus also participates.
In the context of the Conference, 41 states, including Cyprus, co-signed a Joint Declaration regarding Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its effects on sports, expressing the solidarity of these states with the Ukrainian people.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
