Benfica Participates in High Level Sport Values Meeting
Our member SL Benfica, recently took part in an international high-level meeting on prevention of violent extremism through sport. The United Nations Global Programme on the Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism was organised by the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). Executive President Carlos Moia represented the club during the two-hour meeting held in partnership with the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), the UN Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).
The meeting was borne of a mandate the UNOCT received from the UN General Assembly to enhance coordination and coherence across the counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism work done by UN agencies. Sport is one the areas the UNOTC leverages for its values as a tool to prevent violent extremism.
Sport features prominently in the UNOTC and UNAOC Action Plans and is used as an equaliser for social inclusion and engagement. Under the UNOTC global programme, partners will work on a network of national and regional focal points to enhance the exchange of information, best practices and experiences.
The meeting preceded the launch of a series of initiatives which will include the development of a guide for policymakers, training handbook, global campaign and a grant-awarding mechanism for organisations working on sports-based prevention of violent extremism.
SL Benfica and the charity arm Fundação Benfica are participating in the 2020 #Morethanfootball Action Weeks.
