(Originally published on 08/26/2015)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Athletics for a Better World (ABW), a foundation of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), co-hosted a celebration demonstrating the importance of sport in uniting people across national boundaries. On Wednesday 26^th August the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding to celebrate international partnerships in sports and cooperate to promote sustainable, inclusive human development to make the world a better place.

Held at the Bird’s Nest, the event comes as UNDP China is celebrating five years of South-South cooperation, offering an exciting opportunity to highlight the spirit of sport in advancing human well-being. China plays a pivotal role in providing support to other developing countries and UNDP have been working closely with China to help other developing countries alleviate poverty. Sport has played a poignant role in this, with China constructing large stadiums in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Fiji and many others, resulting in athletic development in these countries.

UNDP invited members of the Beijing international diplomatic community to attend the event, which included delegates and representatives from over 40 Countries and many partner organizations. IAAF President Diack, alongside Olympic champions and IAAF Athletic Ambassadors Joanna Hayes and Dwight Philips also participated in the event.

In her opening remarks UNDP’s Country Director Agi Veres addressed the event stating;

“Sport has a unique power to bring people together; a power that transcends national boundaries and cultural differences. Some of the most important values of our society: hard work, mutual respect, fairness and cooperation, are embedded in the spirit of sport, therefore it has been a great pleasure to work with Athletics for a Better World on this event, and we are looking forward to continuing our partnership to jointly support China and China’s South-South cooperation in sport, creating more winners around the world.”

IAAF President Diack praised the event a great success and highlighted the importance of IAAF’s partnership with UNDP;

"Athletics for a Better World allows the IAAF to provide the leadership so that our stakeholders, such as United Nations Development Programme, can add value to its own work in the fields of poverty reduction and governance, and environment; both here in China and in partnership with China in other developing countries through south-south cooperation,"

During the event attendees had the opportunity to engage with ‘virtual reality technology’ with virtual reality headsets provided by the UN Millennium Campaign. The headsets played two videos that demonstrated global development challenges from around the world. The videos; Clouds Over Sidra, which follows the life of a young girl living in the Za’atari Syrian refugee camp in Jordan and Waves of Grace, which follows a community’s recovery amid the Ebola epidemic, aim to creating deeper empathy and understanding of vulnerable communities by bringing their experiences straight to decision makers.

This reception is a series of events UNDP is hosting to celebrate the upcoming UN Day for South South Cooperation on 12^th September and UNDP China’s South-South cooperation five-year anniversary next month.