Cooperation of Israeli and Palestinian Olympic Committees

During a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, the National Olympic Committees of Israel and Palestine expressed their will for cooperation in the lead-up to the 2012 Olympics.

Topics discussed during the meeting included the free movement of both Israeli and Palestinian athletes, coaches, officials as well as foreign visiting athletes; the participation of Israeli athletes in international competitions; and the general development of Palestinian sport including the promotion of the values related to sport at grassroots level.

As an outcome of this meeting, the NOCs agreed to make an assessment of the difficulties they face and work together on concrete proposals to improve the situation in their countries. Additionally, the NOC of Israel offered training opportunities to Palestinian athletes and all participants stressed good will to use their influence to address the discussed issues with relevant parties, whenever possible.

According to a press release of the IOC, the meeting was “held in a very constructive and cooperative spirit” and Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, welcomed the meeting as an example of how sport can bridge divides and be used as a tool for initiating dialogue between two parties.

To read the IOC press release, please click here

Also pursuing the goal of bridging countries, cultures, religions and other barriers, the conference Sport as a Mediator between Cultures will take place from 13-17 September, 2011, at the Wingate Institute, Israel.

Hosted by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), Germany, and the Ministry of Culture and Sport (MCS), Israel, the event will be jointly implemented by ICSSPE, Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport and Zinman College, Israel, in cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Cooperation, Israel, and the Federal Institute of Sport Science, Germany.

For more information, please keep watching the ICSSPE website.