To mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Peace and Sport and UNESCO will hold a roundtable discussion at UNESCO Paris, led by Didier Drogba and Siya Kolisi.
The discussion will focus on the promotion of peace through sport and the role of athletes in achieving this goal. ‘Peace and Sport,’ and its ‘110 Champions for Peace’, represented by Didier Drogba and Siya Kolisi, launched an important dialogue on 4 April on the impact of sport and athletes in promoting peace. Through the Special Olympics, they are using sport to promote inclusivity.
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Joel Bouzou, President and Founder of ‘Peace and Sport’, said: “Peace and Sport has pioneered the promotion of peace values through sport over the past 15 years, reaching millions of people on social networks with the #WhiteCard campaign.
“It is our duty to amplify this message of peace in a challenging geopolitical context. The world of sport has a very important role to play, and Champions for Peace are the best ambassadors to promote initiatives for peaceful coexistence.”
Sport and its champions play a central role in peace education by imparting skills and values, empowering women and youth for equality and inclusion, fostering leadership and building coalitions to prevent extreme violence and ensure security.
Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, said “Sport is a powerful catalyst for social change and for building peaceful societies. At UNESCO, through the Fit for Life sports flagship, we recognise the central role of sport and athletes in promoting inclusive development.”
Didier Drogba, Vice President for Peace and Sport, commented; “We are looking for more support and cohesion within the world of sport to reinforce the message of ‘Peace Through Sport.’ This is an important call, I have personally witnessed what athletes and sport can do.”
Siya Kolisi, Champion for Peace, said, “As Champions, we must use our influence in a positive way and constantly promote the universal values of peace in order to bring young people together and enable everyone to live together despite our differences.”
