The 3rd National and 2nd International Conference on Peace and Sport was held at Farsi Hall of the National Olympic Academy, bringing together senior sports authorities, executive board members, federation presidents, veterans, scholars, and sports enthusiasts to promote solidarity, cultural advancement, and peace-building through athletics.
Iran
NOC; Tehran: Addressing the session, Dr. Mahdi Alinejad, the NOC Secretary-General,
underscored the inseparable bond between sport and peace, revealing that during
the recent conflict, IOC President Kirsty Coventry conveyed a formal letter to
the NOC expressing solidarity with the Iranian people and sports community
while extending firm support on international stages. He added that the NOC
amplified the voice of Iran’s resilience and righteousness globally by naming
its sport delegations after martyrs, including the “Dena Frigate Martyrs” for
the Asian Beach Games, the “Minab Angels” for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and
“Makan Nassiri” for the ongoing Youth Olympic Games, actions met with profound
sympathy and high respect worldwide, particularly following the Sanya Asian
Beach Games parade and medal ceremonies.
The conference
encompassed extensive scholarly and cultural presentations delivered by
academic experts on pivotal subjects, such as IOC peace initiatives, sports
diplomacy in the shadow of geopolitical rivalries, artificial intelligence in
international relations, psychological resilience, and women’s roles in
sustainable peace. Following remarks by Dr. Hamid Ghasemi, Chair of the Peace
and Sport Commission, and Dr. Shahin Soltanpour, Conference Secretary, the
festival honored top contributors across investigative reporting, essays, photography,
cartoons, and innovative artificial intelligence platforms.
At
the conclusion of the ceremony, the prestigious National Peace and Sport Prize
was formally awarded to Olympic and world Wrestling champion Amir Hossein Zare
and Soraya Aghaei Badminton Olympian, and Member of the International Olympic
Committee and the IOC Athletes’ Commission, recognizing their distinguished
contributions to global sportsmanship and national honor.