The upcoming World Cup soccer tournament and Summer Olympics in Brazil should be harnessed to deliver a “positive social legacy” for the South American country and beyond, the United Nations envoy for sports and peace has said.

Wilfried Lemke, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, paid a five-day visit earlier this week to Brazil, which will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“The upcoming major sports events are a historic and unique opportunity for the people of Brazil and the UN family to harness the power of sport and the world’s attention to disseminate important messages and deliver a positive social legacy that makes a difference and lasts far beyond the events,” he said.

Mr. Lemke visited sports facilities in various cities and held meetings with Orlando Silva, Sports Minister of Brazil; representatives of the Foreign Ministry; Andrew Parsons, President of the Paralympic Committee; and Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the 2016 Rio Games.