The celebration of the World Fair Play Day and the 2nd Award Ceremony ‘Fair Play for Peace’ of the EFPM took place at the Gothic Hall of the City Hall of Brussels.
Present at the celebration were the President of the International Fair Play Committee, Yeno Kamuti, the Past President of Panathlon International Pierre Zappelli and the President of Panathlon Club Wallonie-Bruxelles and the European Fair Play Movement, Philippe Housiaux.
The ceremony was marked by an exceptional moment.
Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees was awarded the ‘Fair Play for Peace’ prize by the European Fair Play Movement in recognition of her work to highlight the impact of sport in spreading the positive values of peace and solidarity around the world. The Prize, awarded annually to an institution or association, highlights the positive impact of sport in spreading these essential values on a global scale.
This award underlines UNHCR's unwavering commitment to initiatives such as the ‘More than a game’ strategy, which promotes sport, not only as a form of entertainment, but as a powerful tool to promote peace, the inclusion of refugees in host communities and the creation of bonds of solidarity between people.
‘The office of the High Commissioner for Refugees should not exist if our world lived in harmony and peace,’ Philippe Housiaux stressed. ‘Unfortunately, 120 million forcibly displaced persons remind us daily how incapable our society is of finding acceptable human solutions. By awarding this prize, the European Fair Play Movement modestly recognises the immense hope represented by the work of the UNHCR: that of welcoming these forcibly displaced people to prepare for Peace’.
