MINSK, 25 June (BelTA) – Belarus is acting as an ambassador of peace and unity at the 2nd European Games in Minsk, Belarus Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister Aleksandr Baraulya said as he took part in the conference “Sports Diplomacy: Creating Opportunities Through Sport”on 25 June, BelTA has learned.
“During the European Games, Belarus is acting as an ambassador of peace and unity. We believe it is best to decide who is the strongest not through wars or local conflicts, but through sports competitions at sports arenas and stadiums,” Aleksandr Baraulya said.
He stressed that such events as the European Games are perfect for this purpose as they help unite people: not only professional athletes and coaches, but also numerous fans and tourists.
“The games are another wonderful opportunity for the world to get to know Belarus better as a peaceful country which is trying to embrace common European values,” Aleksandr Baraulya noted. “We are trying to bring more international sports competitions to Belarus and we will pursue this policy in the future.”
The expert and diplomatic event “Sports Diplomacy: Creating Opportunities Through Sport” has been organized by the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee in cooperation with the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies. It is a unique event thanks to its format and goals. The conference is held at a sports venue during an international sport event for the first time. The expert community is set to discuss sports diplomacy and how it can help build bridges between countries, communities, and people, contribution of high-level sports competitions to sustainable development, and the role of Olympic values, the civil society, volunteers, senior officials, and experts in these processes.