One of the advantages of being an equestrian athlete is that you can combine it with another profession. I began my equestrian career following the steps of my father, a former ambassador of Palestine to the erstwhile Soviet Union, Rami Al Shaer, who is himself fond of horses. My father was successful in show jumping and still rides from time to time. We together visited different equestrian centres, which made me fall in love with horses and decide to choose a unique discipline – dressage.
Dressage is one of three equestrian Olympic disciplines, the other two being eventing and show jumping. A form of horse riding, I was attracted to dressage for its elegance, perfection, harmony and the connection that you as a rider develop with the horse.
I thought it would remain a hobby, but after I represented the Russian national team for 10 years, I decided to change my sports nationality to that of my father's country – Palestine.
In my experience as an equestrian athlete and sports diplomat, I have seen the effect that athletic pursuits can have by way of bringing people together and promoting understanding between them.
It is a fallacy that sports has little to do with politics; the history of the Olympic movement itself tells us that sports became a tool of public diplomacy a long time ago. Today, different universities and schools around the world include entire departments dedicated to sports diplomacy. Despite this, I am often asked what the idea is about.
Today, apart from being an athlete, I also participate in a number of international conferences, including equestrian events and other sports forums. Last year, I was selected to become chairperson of the dressage committee in the Mena region at the Federation for Equestrian Sports.
This kind of global engagement is important as it allows athletes like myself to help build relations between fellow sportspeople and with audiences across borders. Engagement needn’t be limited to just conversations.
For example, by incorporating the hand-made Palestinian Tatreez embroidery into my competition attire at last year’s dressage World Championships in Herning, Denmark, I was able to showcase the cultural heritage of my country to global audiences.
In 2021, Tatreez was included in its Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and it is a symbol of craftsmanship. Tatreez dresses are often put together by women living in refugee camps across the region who are skilled in making, by hand, a variety of diverse patterns. Each piece of embroidery carries a story explaining the meaning of Tatreez and its heritage.
Cultural identity can often be more telling of people than their nationalities. Stories of culture humanise us and bring a new perspective to a country beyond its political representation. Athletes from various sporting backgrounds can have a similar impact, using their platform to promote cultural exchange and bridge communication gaps. Such practices establish a deeper dialogue between people of different nations and regions.
The role of sports diplomacy extends beyond individual athletes. I have seen the power of sports bring together countries with no diplomatic relations. “Football diplomacy” is said to have been first tried out during the First World War in 1914, and it has since been called upon a number of times to bolster relationships between countries.
Amid increasing concerns today about the emerging great-power competition, it is worth recalling that the famous "ping-pong diplomacy" of the 1970s was instrumental in kickstarting diplomatic relations between the US and China.
Returning to our role as sports diplomats, such as by uniting top athletes and officials in the dressage committee, we essentially create a community of peoples with the shared goal of promoting co-operation and understanding.
We do this by organising international clinics, friendly matches and exchange programmes, allowing young athletes to broaden their perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of other athletes. During international conferences and sports events, precious time is often allotted to introduce participants to the host country's culture.
As we look towards the future, I believe sporting organisations and governments must prioritise and invest more in strengthening international relations and organising more global and regional competitions along with the inclusion of cultural programmes.
Needless to say, political relations between countries still have a huge bearing on sports. Today, we can see many friendly competitions and matches taking place with the purpose of establishing dialogue between countries.
As we observe International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, it is important that the soft power of sports is leveraged to unite people, bridge cultural and political divides, and help create a more co-operative world.
