The Crown Prince of Kuwait, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Mubarak Al Sabah, spoke at the third ACD Summit in Doha, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts to address the numerous security, political, economic, social, and climatic challenges facing the world today. He highlighted that many of these challenges are being witnessed across Asia, such as armed conflicts, disease outbreaks, extreme poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment. Despite these difficulties, Asia possesses vast human and material resources and significant capabilities to overcome these obstacles and fulfill the aspirations of its people.
One of the prominent challenges discussed by the Crown Prince is the ongoing Israeli occupation forces’ aggression against Palestine, resulting in the loss of over 41,000 Palestinian lives, primarily women and children. He condemned the international community’s failure to stop this genocide due to double standards in applying international law. He called on the UN Security Council to take immediate action to halt the violence and reiterated Kuwait’s support for the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination, and the establishment of their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Crown Prince emphasized the need for Asia to take a decisive and open stance defending justice, human conscience, and the right of the peoples of Palestine and the region to freedom, dignity, and peace. He also discussed the theme of the summit, ‘Sports Diplomacy’, highlighting sports as a significant tool in public diplomacy and soft power that can bring together people, communities, and cultures. He stated that sports play a crucial role in attaining peace and development, disseminating values of cooperation, tolerance, solidarity, and peaceful coexistence.
The Crown Prince praised Qatar’s exceptional hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a successful model for uniting people and blending cultures and languages from around the world. He mentioned that this event helped showcase and integrate Gulf, Arab, and Islamic cultures with others. He expressed anticipation for Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034, further highlighting the importance of sports diplomacy in promoting peace and understanding among nations. The Crown Prince’s speech at the ACD Summit in Doha emphasized the need for collective action to address global challenges and the significance of sports in promoting diplomacy and cultural exchange.
