Secretary-General's opening remarks: Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Glasgow for the 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting.

I extend my sincere thanks to the Government of Scotland, Commonwealth Sport, and all our partners whose commitment has brought us together today. I am especially pleased to welcome Ministers and delegates from across our Commonwealth.

Your presence reflects the importance we collectively attach to sport – not simply as competition or entertainment, but as a powerful force for development, resilience and prosperity. Our meeting takes place at a special moment. As Glasgow prepares to welcome the Commonwealth once again through the 2026 Commonwealth Games, we are reminded why these Games matter. They are, of course, a celebration of extraordinary athletic achievement.

But they are also something more enduring: a celebration of friendship, respect and the values that unite our family of nations. The Commonwealth Games are unique. They bring together nations large and small, from every region of our Commonwealth, not simply to compete, but to belong.

On the field of play, every nation has a voice. Every athlete matters. We compete fiercely yet meet as equals. We celebrate excellence while recognising that we are part of something greater than ourselves. In a world that too often feels divided, that is a powerful statement.

Yet before the first race is run or the first medal is awarded, we have an equally important responsibility. To ask how sport can improve the lives of the 2.7 billion people of the Commonwealth. That is the purpose of this meeting.

It is captured in this year's theme:
"Reimagining the Power of Sport towards Healthier, Fairer and Equitable Commonwealth Communities."

It is both timely and necessary. Across our Commonwealth, people are living through profound change.

Public health systems are under pressure. Inequality persists. Economic uncertainty affects livelihoods. Climate change is disrupting communities. And the aspirations of our predominantly young population continue to grow.

These challenges demand practical solutions. Sport is one of them.

When we invest in sport, we are not investing only in medals or major events. We are investing in healthier populations. In more confident young people. In safer and more inclusive communities. In stronger local economies.

And in the resilience, leadership and sense of belonging that every society needs. That is why sport should never be viewed as the responsibility of one ministry alone. It is a strategic national investment that contributes to health, education, economic development, youth empowerment, gender equality, social cohesion and international cooperation.

Over the course of this meeting, you will consider how we strengthen integrity and good governance; protect athletes through effective safeguarding; expand opportunities for women and girls; unlock the growing economic potential of the sport sector; deepen cooperation through the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport; and continue to shape the future of the Commonwealth Games.

These are not disconnected conversations. Together, they define how sport can deliver lasting public value. Integrity matters because public confidence in sport cannot be taken for granted. Inclusion matters because talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. And investment matters because every investment in sport can generate returns that extend far beyond the playing field.

No government can realise that vision alone.

Its success depends upon partnership between governments, sporting organisations, athletes, educators, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector. The Commonwealth is uniquely placed to convene those partnerships.

Ours is a network built on trust. It spans every region of the world, connecting countries of every size and stage of development. Within that diversity lies one of our greatest strengths: our ability to share ideas, learn from one another, and adapt successful approaches across different contexts.

That spirit of collaboration is reflected in today's programme, including the signing of the International Working Group on Women and Sport Declaration, reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing gender equality across the sporting landscape. It is another example of the Commonwealth turning shared values into practical action.

Excellencies, More than sixty per cent of Commonwealth citizens are under the age of thirty. For many young people, sport is their first experience of leadership. Their first experience of teamwork. Their first opportunity to discover confidence, resilience and purpose.

When we widen access to sport, we widen access to opportunity itself. We strengthen the ties that bind our communities. That is an investment whose returns last a lifetime.

The discussions you have today will also resonate well beyond Glasgow. As we prepare for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda later this year, they will reinforce an important truth: that sport is not a peripheral policy area.

It is a practical contributor to our shared ambition of accelerating partnerships and investment for a prosperous Commonwealth. That ambition requires us to think boldly, work together and invest wisely.

The Commonwealth has always understood that our greatest strength lies not in the size of our institutions, but in the quality of our relationships.

Sport reflects that truth better than almost anything else. It brings people together across cultures and generations. It creates opportunity where it is needed most. It inspires excellence while strengthening community. And it reminds us that partnership is one of the most powerful forces for progress.

As Glasgow prepares to welcome the Commonwealth once again, let us ensure these Games leave more than unforgettable sporting moments. Let them also leave a renewed determination to harness the extraordinary power of sport to build healthier, fairer and more prosperous Commonwealth communities.

I wish you productive discussions and every success in your deliberations.