President Karis champions youth fitness in Paris

Taking part in an international summit on children’s health, education and fitness entitled ‘Sport and Sustainable Development’ on the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of France and IOC president Thomas Bach, President Alar Karis underscored the importance of a comprehensive, cross-discipline approach to getting young people to lead more active lives.

“Doing no exercise is not only a risk to your physical and mental health, but to your academic success as well,” the head of state remarked. “Paving the way to a healthier future for the next generation requires our dedication and coordinated cooperation in a wide range of areas.”

President Karis says that health-boosting exercise habits should be supported by the home and school environments, extracurricular education, the organisation of sport and the healthcare system. “I urge everyone to work together in a concerted and far-reaching effort to champion the health and fitness of young people,” he said.

The event culminated in the signing of the ‘Paris Agreement for Sport and Sustainable Development’, which focuses on the role that sport plays in education, employment, healthy lifestyles, sustainability, equality, social inclusion, sports funding and the assessment of the impact of sport.

Meeting with French political and cultural figures, President Karis discussed the situation in Ukraine and the continued need for multifaceted support for the beleaguered country, the situation in the Middle East and other conflict zones around the world, and the latest developments in France, the EU and the United States. Also touched on were the close relations between Estonia and France and ways of making them even closer, including in the field of culture. The head of state noted that over the centuries, Estonian culture has been influenced by the culture, cultural trends and creative figures of France. “Together we form part of the rich tapestry of European cultural heritage,” he said, “as reflected in this year’s Olympic Games.”