 Gwangju Mayor Kang Un-tae makes a presentation on the 2015 Gwangju Universiade during the 74th International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Congress at COEX in southern Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Gwangju Universiade Organizing Committee |
By Yoon ChulThe 2015 Gwangju Universiade Organizing Committee pledged Thursday to focus on promoting human rights of young athletes through the global youth sports gala.
“Seeing the Universiade as an opportunity, Gwangju newly recognized the human rights of young athletes, who will be university students in four years, and it is now organizing special games with the human rights of athletes as top priority,” Gwangju Mayor Kang Un-tae said in a presentation.
Kang made the presentation in front of some 200 international journalists who gathered for the 74th International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Congress at COEX in southern Seoul.
He claimed youth athletes in many parts of the world are still exposed to violations of their rights due to pressure while training and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as doping risks.
“The city will complete the U.N.-designed human rights city project by 2014 and build a systematic research and educational system for the promotion of human rights of young athletes,” he said.
Gwangju is a symbolic city of democracy in Korea which saw a popular uprising in May 18, 1980 in protest of dictatorial rule by then President Chung Doo-hwan.
The city is also seeking to build a swimming pool and multi-purpose indoor gymnasium to accommodate 21 events.
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