Those in attendance at the Forum, which began today and concludes on Friday (November 25), will debate "how sport can help to foster sustainable peace" as part of efforts "for a better, fairer and more united world".

Prince Albert II was in attendance this evening and he was given the honour of officially opening proceedings.

"I hope the work and reflections you take with you over the next few days will translate into ambitious goals which can be accomplished in the next year," he said.

"I thank you all for your valuable contributions and it is now a great pleasure and honour to declare the ninth Peace and Sport Forum open."

Earlier in the Opening Ceremony, Joël Bouzou, the President and Founder of Peace and Sport, led a tribute to Chinese sailor Chuan Guo.

Chuan went missing more than a month ago during an attempt to break the world record for a solo crossing of the Pacific. 

The US Coast Guard boarded his drifting yacht and found his lifejacket but he was not there, they said.

During proceedings there were a number of speakers including Wilfried Lemke, the United Nations' (UN) special adviser on sport for development and peace to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015, were also guests on stage and they were honoured with a standing ovation as they finished.

Proceedings then finished this evening with each of the Champions for Peace joining the speakers on stage.

Peace and Sport launched the Champions for Peace club in 2009 in order to offer athletes a shared "structure for action and expression".

It promotes sports projects at the service of peace and so increases the impact of their engagement.

Prior to the Opening Ceremony everyone in attendance was invited to join a peace message where a large group photograph of delegates holding up white signs was taken as a show of unity prior to the Forum's commencement. 

A Peace Walk then followed which saw a parade back to the Fairmont Hotel, which is the venue for the Forum.

The programme of this year’s conference aims to "mobilise action, to use sport as a catalyst in strengthening social ties and networks, and to promote ideals of peace, non-violence, tolerance and justice".

Tomorrow is the busiest day on the schedule with three sessions, two workshops and the Peace and Sport Awards in the evening.

Created in 2008, the annual Awards recognise organisations and individuals who make an "outstanding contribution to peace, dialogue and social stability in the world through sport".