MINEPS V: "Best Case for Stakeholder Involvement"

Sylvia Schenk views the Declaration of Berlin as further Step towards Good Governance
10/06/2013 15:49

Representatives from over 125 countries including Sport and Education Ministers, researchers and experts gathered together at the Intercontinental Hotel from 28 until 30 May in Berlin, Germany. For three days discussions covered important topics in sport: the examination of the case for more public investment, the combat against match fixing and doping in sport, as well as the reinforcement of the right to access sport for all people, across all regions. On the final day of the conference, all participants committed to the Declaration of Berlin.

 

In her closing statement, Margaret Talbot, ICSSPE President, called the multi-stakeholder engagement a “dream team” for future development.  Assistant-Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, Pilar Alvarez-Laso, stressed the important role of civil society and that implementation and commitments will be furthered when the Declaration is presented at the upcoming UNESCO General Conference for further adoption. The Federal Minister of the Interior of Germany, Hans-Peter Friedrich, considered MINEPS V and the Declaration as “excellent communication platform and framework for multilateral initiatives and a good basis for promoting political decision-making and implementation at the national level.” Gudrun Doll-Tepper, current Vice-President of the German Olympic Sport Confederation, referred to the all-encompassing process as “important and exemplary” explaining that there had never been so much stakeholder involvement and commitment in this type of meeting before. The evolution of the Berlin Declaration was the result of a year and half of cross-sectoral preparation. Driven by the host nation, Germany, and UNESCO and coordinated by the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), over 90 researchers and practitioners were engaged through discussion forums to put forth a global position on each of the three conference themes. Committed to engaging governments and drawing stakeholders closer together many of the experts involved in the drafting process actively contributed to the conference discussions. Sylvia Schenk, sport advisor at Transparency International stressed that MINEPS V was the “best case for stakeholder involvement” and that she was impressed with the progress made - specifically referencing actions to preserve sport integrity - in a very short time and encouraged actors to remain patient, yet persistent as their work continues.

 

In the past, MINEPS conferences have been a closed dialogue for governments to develop and commit to international strategy in the field of sport science and physical education.  As a progressive move, this year’s conference went beyond promoting collaboration in words but to engrain it through the meeting and planning process. Opening speeches by the presidents of the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee and Special Olympics emphasised the sport movement’s commitment to the conference outcomes and for the first time an Expert Forum was held prior to the plenary session to ensure that current research and best practices were heard by governments and integrated into the drafting process of the Berlin Declaration.  

 

To find out more about MINEPS V and the Declaration of Berlin please visit: http://mineps2013.de