A/HRC/27/58 25. Local, national and regional sports events could include special targeted competitions for ethnic sport strands designed to demonstrate different ethnic traditions, practices and customs.22 26. Stakeholders, and in particular the organizers of mass sports events, should use and leverage such events to promote and support sport for development and peace initiatives.23 D. Instrumental significance of education, training and capacity-building in sport 27. Sport and Olympic values should be the most privileged channel to spread the Olympic ideal among citizens and to educate them to respect human rights.24 If the practice of sport is a human right, education programmes to support that right, need to be given due prominence in curriculum planning. Through such programmes can the spirit of friendship, mutual respect, solidarity and fair play be promoted, learned and embedded into individuals and their communities.25 28. Physical activity and sports are employed when training children and youth in social skills and in the acquisition of positive attitudes and moral values. Hence the need to promote active participation and involvement in all matters relating to human rights, using sport as a motivator to learn about them in training processes of children and young people and helping to ensure that education is durable thanks to its popularity.26 29. Sport is more than an isolated activity. It can be represented as an integrative bridge between education, culture, music and dance in order to strengthen the Olympic values.27 Physical activity should aim at children becoming acquainted with their culture and more respectful for diversity, tolerance, games rules and behavioural codes. It is significant that sports events in Cyprus are organized to bring together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot children.28 30. In primary education, sports have a profound effect on children, the development of their skills and the promotion of gender equality.29 31. Promoting peace culture, aiming to prevent vandalism and violence during sport events, particularly in football stadiums, calls for continuous and active action by all stakeholders. An important reference is the UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education and Sport which seeks to combat these human rights violations.30 E. Sport as a tool for advancing civil society 32. Sport does not need a language, but only the human capacity, irrespective of the different nationalities, religions and ideas. It can form the cornerstone to combine states and human society.31 Sport should be conceived as a tool for dialogue, fraternity and respect. It 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 8 Response of Russian Federation. General Assembly resolution 67/17. Response of France. Response of Children 1st. Response of Spain. Response of Colombia. Response of Cyprus. Response of Saudi Arabia. Response of Peru. Response of Saudi Arabia.