Announcement of Online Forum on “Sports vs Politics”

 

We are proud to announce the upcoming forum on Thursday, 03. February 2022 on the topic of „ Sports vs Politics”, an event co-organized by URBAN FORUM and SINOPRESS.

Date:

3.30-5pm, 03. February 2022

 

Venue:

ZOOM Conference

https://zoom.us/j/93704570665?pwd=S0NVYldncjdJSGlOOGxQQVJDTDFCQT09

Meeting-ID: 937 0457 0665

Passcode: 604727

 

Organizers:

Urban Forum, SINOPRESS

 

Moderator:

MMag. Alice Schmatzberger

 

Agenda:

Against the polarizing backdrop of today’s geo-politics worldwide, the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics is approaching, scheduled to be held on February 4^th, 2022.

Originated 3000 years ago in the ancient Greece, the principles of the Games are reshaped by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Movement in the 1890s. In the Olympic Charter Olympism is expressed as “a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.”

Olympism was formalized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the Olympic Charter. The spirit of Olympism and the Olympic Games enable the IOC to promote sport, culture, education and positive values in the modern world. More importantly, the IOC helps set up programs that bridge the cultural and political divides.

In a video message on December 31, 2021, the IOC president Thomas Bach emphasized the political neutrality of the IOC. The Olympic Games are above any conflict, he said, referring to the recent UN resolution declaring the Olympic ceasefire. This shows that the mission to connect the world can only be successful if Olympia stands beyond all political disputes.

The principles of Olympism, therefore, is to create positive social change including Non-Discrimination, Sustainability, Humanism, Universality, Solidarity, Alliance between sport, education and culture. For the sake of these principles, the upcoming forum aims to discuss about the present attitude towards the Winter Olympics, sports vs politics, today’s sports ethics, as well as the post-pandemic future of sports.

 

Urban Forum is a non-profit association in Austria with the objective of enhancing the meaning of urban, municipal local affairs. It is about raising the awareness of the strength of city economy, promotion of the idea of regional and cooperative thinking, support of public economy and public enterprise (services for the public, sustainability etc.), contributing a modern administrative reform and all with the emphasis on the values of the European Union. (urbanforum.at)

 

SINOPRESS is an independent media outlet based in Vienna dedicated to the free expression of cultural and social opinions east and west. It is a non-profit entity and self-supportive by honorable work of devotion and communal donations. (sinopress.net)

 

Topics to be discussed:

1. Today’s sports in relation to politics
2. The role of Olympic Games as an alliance between sport, education and culture
3. Sports ethics in the post-pandemic era
4. The future of sports in the digital and AI age

 

Panelists include:

1. Peter Wittmann: Former State Secretary in the Federal Chancellery for Europe, Arts and Sport; Former President of the Austrian Federal Sports Organization; Former President of the Paralympics
2. Ernst Woller: Chairman of the Sports Committee of the City of Vienna for more than two decades; President of the Vienna State Parliament since 2018; President of OECB (www.oecb.org)
3. Martin Sörös: Free consultant and journalist for sports, politics, media and investment; More than two decades of work for the daily newspaper “Kurier” in Vienna; Visited 5 Olympics including the 2008 OG in Beijing and more than 100 World and European championships in 15 different sports
4. Marcus Schober: Director of the Vienna Education Academy, Member of the Vienna State Parliament and City Council (in place of Ernst Woller)