HIBAPRESS-RABAT-UNESCO
As part of the implementation of the UNESCO “Fit for Life” program and the Kazan Action Plan, the Social and Human Sciences (SHS) sector in Dakar is committed to aligning sports policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
Thanks to initiatives focused on cultural values and sporting practice, SHS/Dakar actively campaigns for gender equality and fights against violence, racism and discrimination.
Their action focuses on several fronts:
Promotion of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Dakar, training in innovative professions combining sport and culture, raising awareness of gender equality and the inclusion of young people with disabilities. They also plead for better financing of sport.
The Dakar Urban Arts Festival: a major event
It is in this context that the SHS sector supported the 4th edition of the Dakar Urban Arts Festival, a landmark event which attracted more than 17,000 participants between June 1 and 9, 2024. The festival combined sporting disciplines and cultural expressions, providing a platform for diversity and inclusion. Olympic professionals, former African and European champions, as well as people with disabilities shared this unique stage, where all generations found their place.
Sport and culture at the service of sustainable development
Festival activities covered core themes such as sport for life, health and education through sport, reflecting the objectives of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Exciting competitions and cultural events encouraged engagement community around Olympic values.
The media played a vital role, creating engaging content to amplify this message of peace and sustainable development, demonstrating that sport and culture are powerful tools for shaping a better future.
This event highlights the commitment of the SHS sector of the UNESCO office in Dakar to promoting sport as a vector of social change and sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on equality, inclusion and world peace.
