UN Special Envoy: Participation of athletes from Azerbaijan and Armenia in First European Games is positive message

Baku. 8 April.REPORT.AZ/ The participation of athletes from Armenia and Azerbaijan in the First European Games  is a very positive message. Report informs, the former chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Youth Affairs and Sports refugees Jacques Rogge said in an interview for the UNHCR.

'The IOC has always worked on peace initiatives through sports. To name one example, the first European Games ever will be held soon in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The team organizing those games has succeeded in getting athletes from both Armenia and Azerbaijan to participate, despite the conflict between those two nations over Nagorno-Karabakh. That is a very positive message' Jacques Rogge said.

'Sport builds bridges. It conveys a message of mutual respect and peace. In all the Olympic villages of all the Olympic Games I have attended, athletes of all nationalities, races, languages and religions were living together peacefully', the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General  added.

The First European "Baku-2015" games will be held in Baku on 12-28 June 2015. The program includes competitions in 20 sports, 16 of which are Olympic. As expected, the EuroGames will be attended by more than 6 thousand athletes. Total 239 sets of medals will be played.