STATEMENT BY MR HAROLD LEE TIEN LOONG, DELEGATE TO THE 68th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 11, BUILDING A PEACEFUL AND BETTER WORLD THROUGH SPORT AND THE OLYMPIC IDEAL, 6 NOVEMBER 2013

Mr President,

                   Singapore looks forward to the adoption of today’s draft resolution entitled "Building a Peaceful and Better World Through Sport and the Olympic Ideal".  We are pleased to co-sponsor this resolution and welcome the ideals that the Olympic Truce represents.  I take this opportunity to thank former President of the IOC Dr Jacques Rogge for his invaluable contributions to the Olympic Movement during his 12-year tenure.  I also offer our warmest congratulations to new IOC President Dr Thomas Bach and am confident that the Olympic ideals would continue to flourish under his stewardship.

2                 Sport brings many benefits to individuals and communities. It encourages healthy lifestyles and inculcates values like humility, hard work, discipline, fair play and determination.  The timeless Olympic values of “Striving for Excellence”, “Demonstrating Respect” and “Celebrating Friendship” have inspired our top sportmen and sportswomen to do their best, and overcome their personal limitations through peaceful rivalry.  More importantly, sport has a profound way of bringing people together in the pursuit of sporting excellence, transcending differences in socio-economic backgrounds, cultures and nationalities.  And the Olympic Games, standing at the pinnacle of sporting achievement, have contributed immeasurably towards the promotion of peace, and greater tolerance and understanding in the world.  

Mr President,

3                 Singapore is honoured to be part of Olympic history through our hosting of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.  The Games have been a source of inspiration for us to continue to do everything we can to develop and build a strong sporting culture in Singapore.  Our Vision 2030 Masterplan is a national strategy to stimulate positive, deeply embedded values for Singaporeans and our nation through sport.  We believe that sport can help maintain Singapore’s social integrity and economic strength. It can help us overcome the challenges presented by an ageing population, rising regional and international competition and increased diversity within our multicultural and multiracial society. 

4                 Sport is more than winning medals or keeping fit.  By its very nature, sport develops the attributes that we need to compete in the evolving global conditions: a winning spirit, a respect for teamwork, a commitment to leadership and a love for the country.  These are principles that we want firmly rooted, not just in our athletes but throughout our society, in our schools and universities, as well as in our workforce.  We believe we can “Live better through sports”. 

5                 Singapore will continue to champion the Olympic ideals through sports. We competed in both the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and Summer Paralympic Games with our largest ever Olympic contingent – 23 athletes and 8 parathletes respectively.  In 2015, Singapore will host the 28^th Southeast Asian Games which will also coincide with our 50th Anniversary as a nation and therefore is doubly significant and historic.  Our athletes and parathletes, champions in their own right, will continue to blaze the trail and inspire many youths to dream bigger. 

6                 The 65,000 km Sochi Winter Olympic torch relay has already begun, with the torch recently reaching the North Pole.  Singapore extends our best wishes to Russia in hosting a successful Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi in February next year.  We also wish China every success for its hosting of the 2^nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in August 2014.  We believe that through these Games, sport and the Olympic Vision would remain a force for good and peace in this uncertain world.

I thank you, Mr President.

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