A Long-term Cooperation Agreement between UNESCO and FADAM
- FADAM Games
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
Martial arts are at the heart of the Fit for Life program for inclusive, educational and sustainable sport.
The signing of the cooperation agreement between UNESCO and the International Committee of the FADAM Games, which took place during the 2026 New Year's greetings ceremony and the inauguration of the new CIJFADAM headquarters in January 2026, marks a major step in the international recognition of the role of martial arts and traditional sports as levers for education, inclusion and human development.
This agreement establishes cooperation between the two institutions within the framework of the Fit for Life program, UNESCO's flagship initiative aimed at strengthening the impact of sport on public policy, youth and social cohesion, on a global scale.
The Fit for Life program: a common framework for action
Fit for Life is now UNESCO's international benchmark for sport , linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. It promotes sport:
Accessible and inclusive ,
Fair and safe ,
Anchored in national public policies ,
And a source of lasting educational, social and cultural benefits .
Within this framework, CIJFADAM positions martial arts and traditional sports as structuring tools of contemporary sports policies , capable of responding to the challenges of youth, education and social cohesion.
Raising awareness and mobilizing support for Fit for Life initiatives
The agreement provides for close cooperation in:
Raising awareness among UNESCO member states and the international martial arts community about Fit for Life initiatives,
Supporting resource mobilization efforts around joint projects led by UNESCO and CIJFADAM.
This dynamic aims to strengthen the visibility and impact of martial arts in national and international sports policies, by fully integrating them into a global vision of sport in service of society.
The national committees of FADAM, operational relays of the program
The international network of FADAM National Committees is a key lever for implementing the agreement. UNESCO and CIJFADAM will cooperate to facilitate their engagement in the deployment of Fit for Life actions, particularly through:
Adapting programs to national contexts,
Coordination with sports and educational authorities,
And the territorial anchoring of the initiatives.
This decentralized approach makes it possible to reconcile global vision and local reality , as close as possible to the needs of the population.
Harmonize national frameworks with international standards
The framework agreement also provides for in-depth work aimed at:
Align national frameworks for traditional sports and games with international sports policy standards.
Promote institutional recognition of martial arts and traditional disciplines within public systems.
The aim is to strengthen their legitimacy, their structure and their integration into modern, ethical and sustainable sporting models.
To train sports professionals in inclusive and safe practices
A central focus of the cooperation concerns the training of sports stakeholders , in particular:
Public officials in the sports sector,
The leaders and administrators of sports organizations,
Coaches, educators and trainers.
The objective is to strengthen their capacity to design and implement inclusive, equitable and safe sports programs , integrating:
Gender equality,
The inclusion of people with disabilities,
The protection of practitioners, especially young people.
Research and preservation of traditional martial arts and sports
The preservation of living cultural heritage is a major pillar of the agreement. UNESCO and CIJFADAM will collaborate on research , documentation , and safeguarding of traditional sports and games (TSG) and martial arts styles.
This dynamic is fully in line with the "Living Library of Martial Arts" project, which aims to identify, document and transmit disciplines sometimes threatened with extinction, while respecting their cultural authenticity.
The FADAM Paris 2027 World Games as a Fit for Life platform
Finally, the agreement provides for leveraging the organization of the FADAM World Games – Paris 2027 as an international platform to serve the Fit for Life objectives.
This event will constitute:
An international platform for the values promoted by UNESCO and FADAM,
A laboratory of good practices in inclusion, ethics and intercultural dialogue,
A catalyst for cooperation between states, institutions and sports stakeholders.
A strategic alliance for a meaningful sport
Through this cooperation agreement, UNESCO and CIJFADAM affirm a common vision: to make martial arts and traditional sports drivers of social transformation , serving youth, cultural diversity and peace.
As part of the Fit for Life program, this alliance lays the foundations for a new international model, where sport goes beyond performance to become a structuring tool for human development and cohesion between peoples.