2nd Global Refugee Forum of the UNHCR in Geneva

IESF on the 2nd Global Refugee Forum of the UNHCR in Geneva

Never before has the number of people fleeing war, conflict and persecution worldwide been as high as it is today. Current conflicts, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the outbreak of terror and violence in Sudan or in Palestine and Israel, have contributed to the fact that the number of people on the run has risen by 21 percent in just one year. The UNHCR now lists over 110 million people who have been displaced. These include refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and other people in need of international protection.

To address refugee movements with action-oriented solutions, heads of state, private and public sector stakeholders, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations from around 168 countries came together at the 2nd UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in Geneva from 13-15 December 2023. Under the motto "Action, Unity, Impact", over 4,200 participants presented their strategies for integrating and supporting refugees over the course of three days. Together, over 1600 actions (so-called commitments) were collected.

The Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Research (IESF) at the German Sport University Cologne was also represented. At the High Level Parallel Event "Breaking Barriers: Realizing the Potential of Sport for Inclusion and Protection", Dr. Karen Petry's team presented the Institute's actions in research and development.

Jennifer Edwards and Sally-Ann Jennifer Fischer took part in the important dialog together with other stakeholders from the sports sector such as Katrin Grafarend from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), Julia Lambrecht from the Scort Foundation, Elijah NJAWUZI from the Uganda Olympic Committee and many more. In a short speech, they highlighted the need for participatory research and the urgent need for more studies on the role of sport and exercise in the refugee context, so that the projects and programs supported by the UNHCR, for example, can have their full impact. However, the topic of "sport and exercise in the refugee context" should also be addressed more intensively in courses at the GSU Cologne.

With this "Commitment", the Institute is now part of the UNHCR Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport and a member of the Sport for Refugee Coalition. The focus here is on cooperation between the various organizations and institutions over the next four years.
In view of the turbulent times our world is currently experiencing, it is extremely important for us to make a contribution to an inclusive and open society. In this sense, sport can provide the necessary support and stability in the everyday lives of refugees.

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