The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a project submitted by Libya to dedicate a day to celebrate football, declaring May 25 as International Football Day.
May 25 marks the centenary of the first international football tournament in history, which was held on May 25, 1924, during the Summer Olympics in Paris.
The draft resolution, submitted by Libya’s permanent representative to the UN, Taher al-Sunni, was unanimously adopted by the 193-member General Assembly and co-sponsored by more than 160 countries.
Al-Sunni, who introduced the resolution to the General Assembly, said that “football is the number one game that is played and followed around the world.”
Because of its “unparalleled location” in the world of sport, he added, “football is a universal language spoken around the world, transcending national, cultural, social and economic barriers.”
He also stated that the game has become a “pivotal platform” that supports gender equality and community inclusion, on “common ground where individuals from different backgrounds come together, in promoting understanding, tolerance, respect and mutual solidarity.”
The resolution encourages all States to support football and other sports as a tool to promote peace, development and the empowerment of women and girls.
Welcoming the adoption of the resolution, Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly, said: “Football, like many other sports, is based on the values of camaraderie, teamwork, fair play and tolerance, and is a tool for building peace and solidarity around the world.”
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