9 November 1981

49th plenary meeting

Physical education and sports exchanges among young people

The General Assembly, Recalling the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between peoples proclaimed in its resolution 2037 (XX) of 7 December 1965,

Recalling also its resolution 33/8 of 3 November 1978, in which it requested the Secretary-General to submit to it at its thirty-sixth session a report on the activities undertaken by Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, regional organizations and other interested organizations and programmes within the United Nations system in the field of physical education and sports, particularly among young people,

Taking into account the activities carried out by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with a view to promoting physical education and sports in school curricula and their importance in furthering universal understanding and friendship,

Convinced of the importance of physical education and sports exchanges in promoting peace, mutual understanding, co-operation and the development of friendly relations among peoples,

l. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General pursuant to General Assembly resolution 33/8;

2. Takes note also of the replies of Member States to the request addressed by the Secretary-General in accordance with resolution 33/8;

3. Invites Member States to develop sports activities and physical education within the context of continuing education and, in particular, to give priority to programmes developed in the framework of a policy of "sports for all" in order to reach all sectors of the population, especially young people who are not in school and rural populations;

4. Recommends that, in preparing programmes, special attention be paid to the promotion of local forms of physical and sports training as well as to the adaptation of other forms of sports, especially through the use of local materials, and to the reduction of their cost and infrastructure requirements, so as to enable the largest possible number of persons to participate in these sports.