IOC President meets with UN Secretary General and presents new IOC Permanent Observer
IOC President Thomas Bach was in New York today for a meeting with UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
The two leaders discussed the close relationship between the two organisations. The Secretary General expressed the commitment of the UN to working together with the IOC for a better and more peaceful world through sport. He stressed once again: “The IOC represents by its values the same values that created the United Nations.”
The Secretary General said that the United Nations was very appreciative of the work done by the IOC with regards to peace on the Korean Peninsula, and particularly at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, where the two Korean teams marched together at the Opening Ceremony under the Korean Reunification Flag.
President Bach updated him on the latest developments with regards to the planned joint participation of South and North Korean athletes in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and also on the potential joint candidature for the Olympic Games 2032. President Bach was also able to inform him of the progress towards a Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo, following the successful Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, where the IOC initiative was strongly supported by the UNHCR.
The IOC President also presented IOC Member Luis Moreno who will become the IOC's new permanent observer at the UN following in the footsteps of Mario Pescante. The Secretary General appreciated the appointment of Mr Moreno whom he has known 'for many decades.'