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Sport is a powerful force for good. As we have seen in the many messages issued from organisations and causes from yesterday, and which will be ongoing through this month, sport is a powerful vehicle for development and peace.
I am very pleased to join ONOC President Robin Mitchell in extending the message of ‘Sport is what it means to be human’ to touch on how we in the Olympic Movement have lived through the direct experience of sport building our people and homelands.
Since the establishment of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) in 1981, we have built sport as our primary work in communities and taken athletes to the Olympic Games. In every quadrennium, we have organised and participated in other sport-specific or region-specific qualifiers and other Games to provide our athletes the competition they need.
The hosting of the Pacific Games and the Mini Pacific Games have led to national investments in capital infrastructure through provision of sporting facilities for use after Games.
In the Pacific Islands, we will be working to improve our use of sporting infrastructure using lessons we have learned over the last fourty-one years.
Our key work in sport for development is largely designed and delivered through our Commissions which cover areas of education, gender equity or women in sport, medicine and health, partnerships, and sustainability.
A lot of good work continues to be done through the hard work and passion of athletes in projects covering environment, sustainable development, marine protection, clean sport, anti-doping, mental health, obesity and noncommunicable diseases.
On behalf of ONOC President Robin Mitchell, Vice President Baklai Temengil, and the Executive Board, I thank all ONOC Commissions, particularly the Chairs, for their excellent contributions in the last quadrennium and look forward to the new quad where new targets and initiatives will be rolled out.
I also thank the ONOC Athletes’ Commission, its Chair Karo Lelai who has ably led initiatives and kept activities going and inspired athletes through the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the same note, I also acknowledge all athletes of Oceania for the resilience, excellence and friendship displayed over the last quadrennium, at all Games, and for the great sacrifices made in the times spent away from home in preparation for Games.
Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter!
Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together!
RICARDO BLAS
Secretary-General
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For more information:
On the Oceania National Olympic Committees
On the WHITECARD Campaign 2022
On the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
