A/HRC/20/11 I. Introduction 1. On 27 March 2012, pursuant to its resolution 18/23, the Human Rights Council held a high-level interactive panel discussion to highlight, examine and suggest ways in which sport and major sporting events, in particular the Olympic and Paralympic Games, can be used to promote awareness and understanding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the application of the principles enshrined therein. 2. In resolution 18/23, the Human Rights Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to liaise with relevant special procedures, States and other stakeholders, including relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, with a view to ensuring their participation in the above-mentioned panel discussion. It also requested OHCHR to prepare a summary on the high-level discussion. The present summary was prepared pursuant to that request. 3. The objectives of the panel were to discuss how to harness the vast potential of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major sporting events to raise awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights among more people than ever before; to reinforce educative messages about the power of sport to bring about positive change (in this context, the focus was on exploring synergies between Olympic values and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights); and to explore the feasibility of putting in place a process on which the hosts of future Olympic events might build in order to reinforce such underlying concepts as universality, non-discrimination and equality, which underpin both the Olympic spirit and human rights. 4. The panel discussion was moderated by the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Jeremy Browne (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). An opening statement was delivered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The panellists were the Deputy Chairperson of the London 2012 Organizing Committee, Sir Keith Mills; the , President of Rio 2016, , Carlos Nuzman and the Human Rights Ombudsman and President of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Vladimir Lukin, II. Statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and contributions of panellists 6. In her opening address, the High Commissioner stated that sport had been acknowledged as a vehicle for peace and human development in several key United Nations documents and declarations, in particular, the United Nations Millennium Declaration, 1 the 2005 World Summit Outcome 2 and the outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals.3 7. In reference to the Olympic Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the High Commissioner underlined the fact that sport and human rights share many fundamental values and objectives, but noted, nevertheless that it was surprising how little interaction there had been to date between the human rights movement, mechanisms and institutions and the world of sports. 1 2 3 2 General Assembly resolution 55/2. General Assembly resolution 60/1. General Assembly resolution 65/1.