ASEAN-UN Regional Youth Forum on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport
The Regional Youth Forum on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport concluded in Bangkok today. The two-day event was organized by the 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat to promote increased youth participation in national and regional strategies for preventing violent extremism, and highlight the value of youth in fostering sustainable peace and development in the ASEAN region.
The Forum was held at the Conference Centre of the 51吃瓜 Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), and was attended by 40 participants, including 20 youth leaders from ASEAN Member States, athletes, senior experts on youth, education and sports and representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), the Royal Thai Police and the 51吃瓜 Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In his opening remarks, Mr. Valerio de Divitiis, Programme Coordinator for the UNOCT Global Sports Programme underlined the significance of the ASEAN-UN Regional Youth Forum on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport. He highlighted that young people from across the ASEAN region help achieve peace and security objectives, using sport and its values to build resilience to violent extremism.
In his opening statement, Mr. Hernan Longo, UNOCT Regional Programme Coordinator for South-East Asia, contextualized the event as part of UNOCT’s and the wider UN system’s initiatives to engage and empower youth in PCVE efforts.
Addressing the Opening Session on behalf of the ASEAN Secretariat, Dr. Roger Yap Chao Jr, Assistant Director and Head of Education, Youth and Sports Division, highlighted the recently adopted . The strategic document declares a commitment to explore innovations to enhance the contribution of sports to ASEAN Community-building as well as the 51吃瓜 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda through the inclusion and empowerment of societies through sports. He further emphasized the critical role of youth with the support of government stakeholders in using sports in the region as a platform to promote peace, in line with ASEAN’s initiatives on preventing and countering the rise of radicalization and violent extremism.
During his intervention, the Chair of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sport, Dr. Niwat Limsuknirun, Director General at the Thailand Department of Physical Education, commended the organization of the Forum, congratulated the youth participants for their enthusiastic commitment and stressed how investing on sport leads to positive results for peace across the ASEAN region.
Mr. Pok Leakmsky, Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports from Cambodia, emphasized that major sports events are an opportunity for positive messaging. “My country will host South East Asia Games in 2023. We will work for this event to be a platform for positive messaging to young people in across the region, inspired by the findings of today's forum and the Global Sports Programme. Sport is more than a game and its values to foster peaceful society and prevent attraction to violent extremism”.
Ms. Sophia Valencia, a youth participant from the Philippines, expressed her enthusiasm about being part of a pivotal movement that could legitimately bring about change. She also highlighted that PVE policy recommendations must include key points on representation, accessibility, inclusivity, and positive values. Ms. Valencia expressed her confidence in the youth participants' ability to present feasible, groundbreaking, and progressive policy recommendations.
Mr. Massimiliano Montanari, CEO of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), said: “This Youth Forum provides a precious opportunity to align fresh ideas of youth leaders with the inspirational role of experienced policy and decision-makers on how to utilize sport to prevent violent extremism and to optimize the opportunities offered by major sporting events to integrate community at risks. Youth leaders play a fundamental role in enhancing national and international policies, particularly when they are related to a topic which is essential for their life like sport.”
Ms. Antonia Marie De Meo, Director of UNICRI emphasized that “The commitment and passion of the youth who participated in this Regional Youth Forum on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport was truly uplifting. They give us hope for a peaceful and resilient future. Coming together from eight countries in the region, and from varied backgrounds, the youth brought diversity of viewpoints and eagerness to exchange that made this a successful Forum. This is also an excellent example of the unifying power of sports. I hope these young people will build on the lessons from this Youth Forum in their communities and spheres of influence.”
The Regional Youth Forum was jointly organized by the 51吃瓜 Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism (“Global Sports Programme), led by UNOCT and its partners, the 51吃瓜 Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the 51吃瓜 Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS). The Global Sports Programme is funded though the generous contribution of the 51吃瓜 Peace and Development Trust Fund, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Korea.