ICSS Participates in International Panel Discussion on Youth Engagement Through Sports

Doha, November 18 (QNA) - The International Center for Sport Security (ICSS) participated, through its program 'Save the Dream', in an international panel discussion for experts on 'Good Practices on Youth Engagement Through Sports". The webinar was organized by several UN organizations, government agencies and civil society organizations, namely: the Mexican government, the Organization of American States, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The panel discussions were formed around the topics of 'Academic and Institutional Framework: The Importance of Effective Youth Engagement In The Prevention Of Violent Extremism' and 'Youth Engagement: Examples And Good Practices', while the workshop highlighted the fact that sport has historically played an important role in spreading positive values through different civilizations and cultures, especially with regard to the youth segment. A group of prominent experts in the academic and decision-making fields participated in the Webinar, in addition to the participation of more than 900 people representing international organizations working in the field of sports, athletes, experts and specialists in the fields of youth empowerment, as well as representatives of the member states of the Organization of American States and officials from a number of other international organizations. Mohammed bin Hanzab, Chairman of the ICSS and founder of Save the Dream, praised ICSS's participation in such international event that keeps pace with global data and changes, pointing out that the ICSS has agreements and partnership with the organizers of the event, foremost of which are the Organization of American States, the UNICRI and the UNITAR. The ICSS Chairman continued by saying that young people have become an important focus in any strategy related to global sports, and that youth plays a prominent role as this segment is the most important elements of positive change, enhancing communication between cultures and perpetuating the values of tolerance and peace among their counterparts and among the peoples of the whole world. Therefore, empowering youth through sport has become a global and international demand, as sport has become a powerful tool for achieving goals to combat violent extremism, he said. For his part, ICSS CEO Massimiliano Montanari said the event follows the launch by the ICSS and its UN partners of the second pillar Global Program on the Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism (PVE), which took place last September. The ICSS CEO pointed out that this international event discussed a program to reduce violent extremism, with a wide global official participation including representatives of various international organizations, civil society organizations, and global sports bodies such as the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the International Taekwondo Federation, the African Basketball League, the Real Madrid Foundation, Benfica and AC Milan clubs, the Confederation of African Football, the Asian Football Confederation, the Belgian Football Association, the Portuguese Olympic Committee, the Italian Olympic Committee and others. (QNA)