I am very pleased to issue this message for the third successive year with my congratulations and best wishes to the organisers and participants of this interesting sports event. I have myself participated actively in sports and therefore, admire and appreciate sports as a vital element in the physical, mental and emotional development of any person. Now, in my capacity as the UNICEF Ambassador in Thailand, I see the value of sports, especially in the context of the options and opportunities available for our children and adolescents.

While cricket may be a game relatively less known in Thailand, having had my education in England, I am aware that it is a very popular game in many countries which happened to be former British colonies. The fact that a particular sport is not born or bred on our soil does not mean that we should reject it. In a globalised world, we have a wider choice and a broad range of things to select from. Music, theater, art, sports are some activities that are becoming more and more global, especially with the development of international travel, media and communication networks.

Also we see increasingly the need to promote friendship, peace and harmony in the world as well as within nations. Sports is a good vehicle in this context, as it cuts across any boundary such as nationality, race, religion, or culture. Young people are particularly good in promoting new habits and internalising external elements into their lives; but what is important is to ensure that they pick up and cultivate the good things which can help in their survival, development and protection. Cricket as a sport seems to possess such good elements for team building, tolerance and perseverance, which are necessary for any society.

Sports and recreation are not just a necessity for every child or adolescent, but also a right - according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention is the most universally ratified UN Convention to date. UNICEF's aim is to promote this Convention by facilitating the most essential and most conducive conditions for survival, development, protection and participation of each and every person up to 18 years of age, without discrimination. Among the specific rights enunciated in this Convention is, the right to leisure, play and to have opportunities to participate in cultural and artistic activities. Therefore, the Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes, both directly as well indirectly, may contribute to the promotion of the rights of children through this sport. Any sport should be appropriate for young people to enjoy their leisure time and engage in a participatory exercise to use their skills and energies.

In a conclusion, I wish all players every success; but success is not to be measured only in terms of victory or achievements. The more important aspect of any sport is not whether you win or lose but how you participate. To be able to accept defeat with tolerance and understanding and to be able to rejoice in triumph with modesty and humility are noble values which we all should adopt and practice. For me, this is what Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes seems to be advocating to the community. May the better side win and the losers cheer, so that it will be a win-win situation for all.

Anand Panyarachun
UNICEF Ambassador for Thailand