Dear friends in Asia and the Pacific and across the world,

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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affected us all. Our community is concerned about the negative impact that this global health emergency is already having on economies, on livelihoods, and in the pandemic’s hotspots – on the health of the people. Without much warning, we are finding ourselves engaged in the common fight against this new challenge.

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While we are locking ourselves down and self-isolating to defeat the virus, we declare our resolve to use the spirit of sport: friendship, solidarity, empathy for others, cooperation, and mutual respect to overcome this challenge, together.  We the members of the Youth and Sport Task Force are actively supporting each other, as well as our communities, in using the power of sport to heal, to come together, to promote mental health and to maintain physical wellbeing.

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It is a time to remember those who are most vulnerable amongst us – the elderly and those with existing medical conditions, but also the millions of voiceless people living among us – the homeless, the poor, the forcefully displaced and many other vulnerable groups and individuals. We urge all our members and our friends and followers, in the spirit of sport, to:

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• Follow closely the instructions of experts and health authorities in national governments and the World Health Organization on how to protect yourselves, your loved ones, and everyone else.
   

• Be vigilant against accepting and spreading disinformation and misinformation about the pandemic and related issues on social media.
   

• Be very active on the available online platforms and use modern information technologies to continue communication, planning, exchanging ideas, organizing online mutual activities, etc. 
   

• Use the time for meditation, introspection, critical thinking, and mental preparation for building a better world.
   

And during this time, we remind you that our community continues, we are united in our passion for the power of sport and we will be using the principles and values of sport to help us get through this difficult time. 

 

In the spirit of sport, we urge you to stay connected and support each other.  

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With love,

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The Task Force Members
 

#COVID19support

#staypositive