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Diplomats in Tokyo Look Forward to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Written by UPF - Japan
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Tokyo, Japan - UPF-Japan organized its 20th Peace Diplomats Forum in Tokyo on the theme of "Sport and Diplomacy: Towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games" on March 6, 2014, and more than 50 experts, including over 20 foreign diplomats stationed in Tokyo and Japanese leaders of various fields, participated.
The forum was begun with welcoming remarks by Rev. Eiji Tokuno, Chair of UPF-Japan. Emphasizing Olympics and Paralympics as a festival for peace through sports, he expressed hopes that the Sochi Paralympics Games, set to open the following day, would be successful in spite of the uncertainties about Crimea and that the issue of Crimea would be resolved peacefully.
The keynote speech was given by Amb. Toshio Mochizuki, former Japanese Ambassador to Greece, who worked for both the Tokyo 2016 and 2020 Bid Committees and contributed to Tokyo being elected as the host city for the 2020 Olympic and Paraolympic Games.
“Sport can be utilized for soft power to keep peace,” said Amb. Mochizuki and indicated that the Olympic Truce, a tradition dating back to the ancient Olympic spirit, gives a good effect on political situation.
He also emphasized the importance of Olympism, which is a philosophy of life that seeks to respect universal fundamental ethical principles, quoting from the Olympic Charter. [For the text of the charter, click here.]
He explained the concept of the Tokyo 2020 games is “advanced, matured, democratic society games” and “Sport for All” beyond any barriers and differences, and concluded his lecture, saying, “Come to Tokyo in 2020 and enjoy the games.”
At the end of the program, five new Ambassadors for Peace were appointed, and the certificates were handed to them by Rev. Tokuno.
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