Tokyo 2020 signs LOI with UN promoting contribution of sport to Sustainable Development

Tokyo 2020 and the UN have concluded a Letter of Intent aimed at promoting the contribution of sport to sustainable development and supporting achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed today by Alison Smale, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, and Toshiro Muto, Tokyo 2020 Chief Executive Officer, during a UN delegation visit led by Ms. Swale to Tokyo.

The two parties agreed to cooperate by promoting activities that will help raise awareness of the contribution of sport and of the Tokyo 2020 Games towards achieving specific Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs), as well as drive a more global understanding of the SDGs amongst the Japanese population.

Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) and the United Nations (UN) will work together to leverage the United Nation’s own events and media platforms to increase the public’s knowledge of the links between the SDGs, sports and sporting events among citizens of Japan and other countries.

Alison Smale, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, said:

I am proud to sign this Letter of Intent, which will allow us to work with Tokyo 2020 to shine a light not only on the accomplishments of the athletes, but also on how the event is managed in innovative and responsible ways. This is a great opportunity to leverage our platforms to begin conversations about the contributions of Tokyo 2020 to SDG implementation and the power of the Olympic Games to promote peace and development worldwide.

Toshiro Muto, Tokyo 2020 Chief Executive Officer, said:

Since its foundation, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has emphasised the importance of sustainability. In line with Tokyo 2020’s vision that sport has the power to change the world, we have had a number of discussions regarding our mutual relationship and cooperation with the UN, and we are very pleased to have now signed this LOI. Through the Games, we can help to raise awareness of global issues and bequeath a sustainable society to the next generation.

About Sustainable Development Goals

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

These seventeen objectives build on the successes of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

Please see below for further details of the Tokyo 2020 Sustainability Plan:

Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Sustainability Plan Version 2 (full length):

https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sustainability/sus-plan/data/20180611-sus-plan-2_EN.pdf

Executive Summary of the Sustainability Plan Version 2:

https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sustainability/sus-plan/data/20180611-sus-plan-2-summary_EN.pdf