Filipina Recognized as Youth Champion of Sport for Peace, Development

Spike and Serve Philippines Founder Nicole Tiamzon (center), together with Deputy Permanent Delegate Hendrik Garcia and Philippine Delegation to UNESCO’s Pisces Joy Razon. (Paris PE photo)

PARIS 19 September 2018 – The Philippine Embassy in Paris said that Spike and Serve Philippines founder Nicole Tiamzon was recognized for her community-based volleyball grassroots program at a forum entitled Youth Empowerment for Peace held on the occasion of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s first partners’ forum.

The forum highlighted UNESCO’s involvement in peacebuilding and youth empowerment, ranging from educational, artistic, sport, media, and ICT-focused programmes. These activities aim to build bonds and strengthen various skills in organizing debates and advocacy campaigns that foster youth’s free expression, and positive dialogue.

“Sports is non-political and non-discriminatory. It engages everyone,” Ms. Tiamzon said.

Ms. Tiamzon shared that sport can be an important tool to achieve community development and peace. She added that that investing in grassroots, community-based sports can have an enormous impact on lives of individuals.

She is currently a member of the UNESCO Asia and the Pacific Youth and Sport Task Force which is composed of young leaders and experts working on sport for development at the local level. END

For more information, visit www.parispe.dfa.gov.ph or http://www.facebook.com/PHinFrance/ or https://twitter.com/PHinFrance.