El Ministerio de Inclusión y el Comité Olímpico Internacional firman un acuerdo para impulsar el deporte en el sistema de acogida de protección internacional

The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá; the President of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Refuge Foundation, Thomas Bach; the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, have signed a collaboration agreement to promote sport in the international protection reception system.

In particular, the collaboration agreement provides for the deployment in the centers of the Ministry of Inclusion, both in existing and new ones, of a system of attitudes and spaces that promote and strengthen the participation in sport, in an active way, of the people hosted. The event was also attended by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Olympic Refuge Foundation.

During his speech, Minister Escrivá highlighted “the importance of sport in the inclusion of refugees in our country, since there are few activities that promote both integration and the practice of sport”. “We have already seen in the centers that depend on the ministry how sports activities, in collaboration with neighborhood clubs and associations, generate friendships, strengthen the social fabric and allow to display all the values of solidarity, respect and integration that are so important to build an increasingly advanced and fair society; this agreement will enhance those positive effects of sport,” he said.

For the design of this system of attitudes and spaces, the advice of the Spanish Olympic Committee and the Olympic Refuge Foundation will be available, which can provide their experience related to programmatic approaches based on sport and methodologies aimed at supporting young refugees and the Spanish host communities.