The 2025 edition of the North-South Dialogues, under the theme From competition to cooperation: The power of sport as a tool for development and inclusion, will be held at the Council of Europe premises, in Strasbourg, France, and broadcast online, on 21 May.
The roundtable will take place at Palais de l’Europe, room 8, from 16:00 CET and broadcast online.
Inspired by the exemplary work of the 2024 North-South Prize laureates — Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General holding the post of High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), and the initiative enabling refugees to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games (led by the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Refuge Foundation, and the International Paralympic Committee)—the Dialogues will focus on values-based sport and its power as a tool for development and inclusion.
Organised by the North-South Centre (NSC), in collaboration with the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS), the North-South Dialogues 2025 will bring together high-profile figures, athletes, and the expertise of leading organisations in the field of sport. The discussions will highlight the transformative power of sport in promoting education, inclusion, and integrity, while also addressing urgent human rights challenges in sport and examining the legal frameworks designed to overcome them. More detailed information can be found on the concept note and the programme.
Speakers at the roundtable include Ambassador Francesca CAMILLERI VETTIGER, Chairwoman of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, Nawal EL MOUTAWAKEL, Olympian, Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee, former Minister of Youth and Sports of the Kingdom of Morocco, DIDIER SAUVAIRE, Vice-President of the International Confederation of Francophone Sports Unions, Solène CHARUAU, Chairwoman of the Council of Europe Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS), Allan WILLIAMS, Chairperson of the Working Group for Safeguarding in Sport of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC). Moderation by Pau SOLANILLA FRANCO, specialist on strategic communication and sport diplomacy.
The 2025 edition of the North-South Dialogues integrates an awareness-raising action addressing human rights in and through sport, as a collaboration between the NSC and EPAS. #AlwaysHumanRights serves as a framework to disseminate different initiatives, standards, resources and opportunities, while promoting the notion that human rights are always a dimension of sports: There are always human rights in sports. More information can be found on the dedicated webpage.
The Dialogues will also serve as the platform to launch a new course of the NSC’s Human Rights Education for Youth programme (HEY), addressing value-based sport and sport integrity.
The roundtable is open to the public, upon previous registration and limited to the room capacity. Registration is possible in the online form. English/French interpretation will be provided. The event can also be followed online, through this link.
The North-South Dialogues bring together stakeholders from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, to explore opportunities for cooperation and address shared challenges. By identifying key areas of contention and fostering collaborative solutions, these discussions aim to build trust and strengthen partnerships, in line with values and standards of the Council of Europe that are shared in other regions.
For detailed information about the roundtable, please refer to the dedicated webpage.
Learn more
About the North-South Dialogues
#AlywasHumanRights awareness-raising action
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