LAHORE: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), following a decision of the United Nations General Assembly, is holding a series of sports events for development and peace programme. The first one was held at Government College University (GCU), Lahore with the collaboration of Ravians’ Health and Sports Society on March 30, 2017. The event, held on the occasion of International Day of Sports, highlighted the power of sports for human development and peace and the sports were regarded as a catalyst for social change by eminent speakers like POA President Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan, Vice Chancellor GCU Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah, Pakistan Volleyball Federation Chairman Chaudhary Muhammad Yaqoob and Pakistan Federation Baseball Chairman Shaukat Javed. The second programme of the series is taking place in Peshawar and the competitions in badminton and karate will be organised between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and FATA teams. “The organising committee has been constituted consisting of office bearers of badminton and karate associations, under the chairmanship of Syed Aqil Shah, Vice President POA and President KP Olympic Association, to organise the International Day for Sports, Development and Peace in a befitting manner,” said POA Secretary General Muhammad Khalid Mahmood. “We do hope that the programme will create sufficient awareness on the contributions, power and force of sports for development and peace. Simultaneously a race will be organised at GCU, Lahore on the same day,” he added.