UNICEF- IBF: memorandum signed at IOC headquarters
The United Nations Children's Fund ("UNICEF") and the International Badminton Federation (IBF) signed today at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stipulating close collaboration in order to advance joint efforts to promote child protection, healthy recreation and universal access to quality basic primary education for all girls and boys. The MoU was signed by UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy and IBF President Korn Thapparansi. IOC President Jacques Rogge and Adolf Ogi, UN Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace attended the ceremony.
UNICEF: advance children's rights
UNICEF works with governments, social organisations and other partners world-wide to advance children's rights to survival, protection, development and participation, and is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Special role of sport
Through this MoU, UNICEF and the IBF recognise the special role that sport has to play in attaining this goal, and undertake to achieve this in line with their complementary mandates: the IBF in developing the sport of badminton throughout the world, in working to bring badminton to the youth of the world, and in promoting the benefits of healthy recreation for all children; and UNICEF in fulfilling its General Assembly mandate to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs, and to expand their opportunities to participate and develop fully.
Action plan
The actions planned include for the IBF to encourage athletes, coaches and officials to promote the IBF' and UNICEF's common goals; to provide technical and equipment support for joint activities that advance the principles of the MoU; and to dedicate one of its major events in 2005 to children and the goal of protecting the right of all children to healthy recreation and quality primary education. The IBF will work with UNICEF to develop a range of activities in connection with this event.