A coming together of family

2004 UN Inter-agency games

Elisabeth Philippe, UNFCU

After a year’s hiatus in light of the conflict in Iraq, the UN Inter-Agency Games resumed with great purpose on 29 April – 3 May 2004 to celebrate the spirit of friendly competition and sporting achievement within the UN Community. Organized once again by UNESCO, the 32 UNIAG not only signified continuity, but also took on new meaning.

For the first time, the Games extolled a specific theme, “The UN against AIDS: Play Fair, Play Safe.”

“HIV/AIDS is a development disaster and a security crisis with social impacts more devastating than war,” said Anna Maria Hoffmann, of UNESCO and Chairman of the Organizing Committee. “Recognizing the United Nations report, ‘Sport as a Tool for Development and Peace: Towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals’ and to mark the European Year of Education through Sports, UNESCO adopted the theme to promote non-discrimination, discourage stigmatization and provide support for all people living with HIV/AIDS, including our colleagues.”

Kate Thomson, founder and member of the International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS and a UN staff member based in Geneva with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, addressed the Opening Ceremonies, with the strength of a power lifter. “Sport is the great leveler, bringing together people from many different continents from different backgrounds and with different beliefs. We must play as a team supporting our colleagues and friends, HIV positive or not, in the UN family and beyond and we must play to win. Indeed we cannot afford to lose.”

With this sense of great mission, the reunion of 1,100 athletes, representing over 100 countries, opened to great applause. The venue in Aix-les-Bains, France provided the perfect setting to showcase the Olympic ideals, “Citius. Altius. Fortius,” which translates as «Faster. Higher. Stronger,» set forth by Baron de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics in 1896. Nestled in the foothills of the Jura Mountains, this picturesque town had no shortage of impressive sports facilities and ambiance typical of les Haute Savoies. The opening ceremony also featured a cortège of local residents dressed in traditional costumes and a circus.

“Clearly, the warm reception given by the people of Aix-les-Bains, outstanding team spirit demonstrated by the participants the strong support by sponsors — Ville d’Aix-les-Bains, Peugeot Sodexa, United Nations Federal Credit Union and Dell S.Aeach — contributed towards making the Games’ exceed our expectations,” said Robert Dongasse of UNESCO, who together with Pilar Chiang-Joo, Thavry Eng, Fadhel Douiri, Aykoro Kossou and Anna Maria Hoffman, rounded out the six-member UNESCO IAG Committee. UNFCU and Peugeot also conducted sweepstakes drawings to add to the festivities.

Participants from 26 UN agencies gathered to share ideas, reflect upon their own experiences during the past two years and to take part in 13 different disciplines. Were chauvinistic rivalries among agencies rekindled? Bien sûr!

They came to run, bike, and golf, play football, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, darts, pétanque, badminton and basketball and also engage in chess and bridge tournaments. In testing both mind and body, they found UNIAG a wonderful place to reinforce their belief in the UN system. They came together as family and to seize a rare opportunity.

“It seems to be one of the only true, informal events that bounds the scattered elements of the UN system together and a good place,” said Sylvain Merlen, a policy analyst with UNDP’s Office of Development Studies in New York who won a silver medal in cross- country.

“There is a genuine feeling of one big diverse family of talented open- minded individuals with common values.” For Merlen, it was a double reunion. He is originally from Aix-les-Bains. Family and teammates from Athletique Sport Aixois (ASA) were there to cheer him on.

“During the competition people put on their game face, but after that it is all about taking pictures, renewing old acquaintances and making new friends,” said Shalil Bose, the captain of the New York Athletics team who joined Merlen on the distance medley relay.

As Aix played host to the Games in 2000, most participants knew the location of the different sports sites and where to gather for the receptions. The awards ceremony took place at the Palais des Congrès with a gala dinner- dance following in the Casino.

According to Gianni Monciotti of FAO in Rome and a UNFCU Liaison Representative, seeing olds friends again is a main reason for participating. “If after all, you win a medal, as happened this year for the FAO Golf Team, it is certainly more pleasant.”

New York Team Sets Record

The UN Basketball Team from New York repeated its gold medal performance, becoming the only team from New York to win not one but two championship titles in the last 20 years. According to Alexey Batichtchev, team captain, “Players proved their character, determination and other outstanding personal qualities to proudly call themselves UN people.” Team members also used their own leave days to attend UNIAG and covered all of their own expenses.

Like many UN squads, the UN NY Team represented multiple agencies and countries, Russia, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Liberia, Serbia and the United States. They defeated strong teams from Geneva, Vienna, Paris, before facing FAO/Rome in the final.

“We practiced with UN Security, with whom we want to extend our appreciation, every Thursday at the United Nations International School,” said Albert Dominguez of UNDP, who plays point guard. “Our pick-up games were very competitive and the team often trained outside, no matter the weather. Most importantly, we triumphed because of the bond we have as a team and as friends.”

Views from the Field

Kurt Pichler, captain of the winning IAEA Table Tennis Team from Vienna, who has competed in five disciplines since 1974, concurred that reunions make these Games unique. “We meet friends from all of the world, some of them going back centuries!”

Traveling a little less far to Aix, Geneva-based ITU teams also found the Games a rewarding experience. “Players from other Geneva organizations cheer you on as you compete and sharing memorable moments with colleagues outside of work invariably creates better working relationships within the organizations,” said Leroy Brown, a 15-year veteran of UNIAG who has served in various capacities: ITU representa- tive, Organizing Committee chairperson and most recently member of the 5 place finishing ITU tennis team.

Perhaps one of the closest competitions occurred during the dart com- petition with 12 teams participating in a round robin tournament. In the finals, which pit IAEA-Vienna against WIPO, one could hear a pin drop.

The match was tied at three all and the final, the team game, was to decide the winner. IAEA prevailed by posting a big score and went on to throw the winning double.

“No one player was looking for individual credit or seeking greater praise than anyone else,” said John Meehan of IAEA’s Emergency Response Centre. “It was each player’s contribution that brought us the hard-earned victory, but making contacts with all of the different UN organizations and their specialized agencies was also just as memorable.”

For a full list of 2004 UNIAG results, please visit the UNESCO Website at www.unesco.org/iag2004.

When asked to provide advice to the World Health Organization, which is slated to organize next year’s Games, Hoffman counseled. “Work as a team and plan well in advance.” UNESCO’s own dedicated staff of six elected Organizing Committee officials, made health and security measures their top priority. They worked with local police and fire departments, hospitals and the Red Cross, as well as the local Office of Tourism to ensure that the five-day event ran smoothly.

Housing 1,100 athletes and grouping participants from the same disciplines from different agencies posed the biggest challenges. “But everyone got along tremendously – which is very rare in families,” she added.