UAE Olympic House Hosts High-Level Roundtable in Paris: Exploring Sports and Public Diplomacy

The UAE Olympic House in Paris hosted a roundtable titled 'Beyond the Games: Olympics and Public Diplomacy in Shaping National Identity.' The event highlighted sports' role in building communities and fostering international relations, featuring talks by distinguished speakers including Noura Al Kaabi and Gabriele Ramos.

The UAE Olympic House in Paris, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a high-level roundtable titled 'Beyond the Games: Olympics and Public Diplomacy in Shaping National Identity.' The event was led by Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The session opened with Sheikh Rashed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, lauding the UAE's record participation in the Olympic Games. He emphasized the importance of upholding Emirati sporting values while learning from global best practices.

Gabriele Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, praised UAE's efforts under Centennial 2071 to foster an inclusive society through sports. The discussions underscored sports diplomacy as a tool for strengthening national cohesion, driving social impact, and building international connections.

The event featured four notable speakers: Noura Al Kaabi, Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Gonul Serbest, and Samuel Ducroquet. They collectively highlighted the role of sports in promoting mutual understanding and bridging cultural gaps.

Al Kaabi stressed that sports initiatives foster dialogue across generations and encapsulate the core Olympism values: excellence, respect, and friendship. She noted that the UAE's dedication to sports reflects its broader commitment to global dialogue and understanding.

Samuel Ducroquet elaborated on Paris 2024's goal of hosting the Games with a focus on community inclusion and sustainability. Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri highlighted the UAE's youth-centric sports strategy, aimed at societal uplift and international bridge-building.

The roundtable concluded with a collective call to leverage sports for fostering international relations and creating lasting legacies. The UAE reaffirmed its commitment to these ideals through active global engagement.

(With inputs from agencies.)