Two practitioners of Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art © 1998 by Cultural Heritage Administration

Tuesday 6th April marks the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, an occasion to explore the range of traditional sports and games inscribed on the lists of the 2003 Convention.

Sport can help promote fairness, teambuilding, equality, inclusion and perseverance. Moreover, sport and physical activity can also help us get through times of crisis by reducing anxieties, improving physical and mental health, and strengthening social ties.

© UNESCO The lists of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage include many elements related to traditional sports and games and which are anchored in our daily lives and our feeling of belonging to a wider group.

These elements related to traditional sports and games constitute one of the many illustrations of the entanglement of living heritage and sustainable development, particularly with good health and well-being (Sustainable Development Goal 3).

Join us in celebrating those traditions and in enjoying healthy practices!