DUBAI — With less than one month before the first-ever Peace and Sport Dubai Forum, leading international and regional sporting figures as well as decision-makers from the region’s governing bodies and the world’s sports organizations have confirmed their participation.



Dubai will be hosting the first-ever Regional “Peace and Sport Forum” on April 23 and 24 at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel. The event is supported by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.



The objectives of the event are to demonstrate a commitment to helping communities in crises around the world and making sport a vehicle for tolerance, respect and citizenship with the goal of sustainable peace.



Nawal El Moutawakel, Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee; Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal, President of the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees; Hicham El Gerrouj, middle-distance Olympic and world champion; and Walter Gagg, FIFA Director, will attend the Peace and Sport Dubai Forum 2013.



Among the many other renowned athletes and Peace and Sport Champions for Peace who will join the conversation and share their invaluable experiences as sports icons are; Charmaine Crooks, Rania Elwani, Christian Karembeu, Fareed Lafta, Tegla Loroupe, Steve Messler and Honey Thalijeh.



Registration for the participants is open, and all peacemakers are invited to register their participation in what promises to be the start of a new dawn in peace activism using the universal language of sport in the Middle East.



The groundbreaking Peace and Sport Dubai Forum will focus on the themes of sustainable peace through sports policies, the importance of sport at the service of the societies and the challenges faced by communities locally and regionally. The activities will include workshops, case studies and detailed discussions, as well as plenary sessions that will give a broader insight into the challenges facing these areas.



The guests and attendees of the Peace and Sport Dubai Forum 2013 will also be provided with high-standard networking initiatives, giving them unique opportunities to exchange experiences and appreciate the diversity of the movement.



Founded in 2007, it will be the first time this prestigious international forum has met in the Middle East region although a number of Arab athletes are among the growing league of “Champions of Peace” that support the organization at all levels such as Moroccan El Guerrouj and recently appointed Champion for peace, Palestinian Female footballer Honey Thaljieh. — SG