“Football is not just about kicking a ball”
“Sport has been my luck. It has opened doors that I never even dreamed of. I was born in Toulouse, where I discovered football at a very young age, following…
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“Sport has been my luck. It has opened doors that I never even dreamed of. I was born in Toulouse, where I discovered football at a very young age, following…
> Read moreWas I born in the right place at the right time? Am I just lucky? As I look back, I think I can answer these two questions positively. I was…
> Read more“No other sport is quite like Football. It undoubtedly has the capacity to break down barriers more than any other sporting discipline. Between peoples, between nations and between communities. I…
> Read moreWe live in a violent world where, even though diplomacy plays its part, a pervasive element is omnipresent. Every day, news reporters tell us about the horror of conflicts erupting…
> Read moreSince 2007, when I created the ‘Judo For Peace’ commission within the International Judo Federation, our organization, alone or in association with other structures, has been carrying out many projects…
> Read moreI wasn’t predestined to become a pole-vaulter. I could even have missed out on athletics altogether. I began playing sport very early in life, around 5 years old, and I…
> Read moreI was born in Benin, Africa. It’s a poor country, with sparse conditions for playing sport and even more limited training resources. That’s how it was when I was young….
> Read moreMajor sporting events don’t only have winners and losers. They don’t only have the power to bring people together in stadiums or in front of their televisions. They inspire entire…
> Read moreHaiti is a country with a strong history, while it is mostly known for being one of the poorest nations in the world; it is worth noticing that it was…
> Read moreNine new Champions for Peace are coming together for the International Day of Peace on 21 September to publicize the inspiring values of sport which have the capacity to push…
> Read morePromo Jeune Basket has always believed that sport has the power to teach young people important values and lessons in their lives. The four program values – hard work, discipline,…
> Read moreIt is often said that the hope of a country is its children and youth. In that sense, Timor-Leste has much to be hopeful about, as it is still a…
> Read morePeace is much more than the absence of war and negative peace has endured on the Korean peninsula for decades. The continued division of the Korean people limits the realization…
> Read more“If you want peace you need to prepare for Peace”. Inspired by the motto of the University for peace, the Karamoja Cluster Project (KCP), a cross-border program through sport, was…
> Read moreUnited Nations World Refugee Day on 20 June has reminded us of the recent wave of immigration to Europe, caused by the wars that currently ravage Iraq and Syria. This…
> Read moreWorld Refugee day, marked on June 20, is an occasion to reflect about challenges refugees are facing in their everyday lives and opportunities that could be offered in host countries….
> Read moreAs an athlete and an artist, I struggled for years to balance both sport and art in my life. But on my journey to becoming an Olympic athlete and then…
> Read moreSports promotes cooperation, builds a common identity, and provides an overarching language to communities in conflict. I learned it first hand, because tennis changed my life. Growing up as a…
> Read moreAt the beginning of April, I participated in the Harvard and MIT Brazil Conference, an event organized by students at these institutions with the mission of bringing together brilliant minds…
> Read moreAs an academic, practitioners want to understand my knowledge, and I want to understand their experience. Combining knowledge and experience can only promote the cause of peace through sport. However,…
> Read moreWe have all just witnessed an incredible 4th edition of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. With a record number of projects from every corner of the world,…
> Read moreSport is far more than a form of entertainment. It is also a potential catalyst for the promotion of education and culture beyond being essential to human development. Sport is…
> Read moreOn November 24th, 2016, the government of Colombia signed a peace agreement with FARC[1], putting an end to a 50-year-old internal conflict. The country’s number one priority is the successful…
> Read moreThe town of Pinga in the DRC has been the site of horrific violence. Rebel groups and government forces clashed there as part of the country’s ongoing civil war, and…
> Read morePeople say that behind every successful man, there is a woman. But I believe that also behind every successful woman there is a man. At the International Women’s Day, I…
> Read moreThroughout the course of history many athletes have spoken out in favor of social issues. Their actions and commitment have demonstrated that sportspersons can play an important role inciting social…
> Read moreSport is a universal language. I think we all understand its potential. To harness this potential, we need the interface of social science research, young people and government – this…
> Read moreAt some point in our lives we come to what can best be described as an awakening. It’s a moment that stops us in our tracks, a moment that brings…
> Read moreSport is an effective tool for ameliorating diplomatic relations and exceeding social, economic and cultural differences. With that thought in mind, Rugby Sin Fronteras (Rugby without Borders) foundation has organized…
> Read moreFor years I have believed in the huge potential of sport to bring about peace and development. At the same time, I’ve been aware that my sport – tennis –…
> Read moreThe magic of sports is its ability to show us that we all want to help each other to reach our most ambitious goals. It helps us discover our true…
> Read moreA lot has happened since Rose Lokonyen walked into the Olympic Stadium as a flag bearer of the Rio 2016 Refugee Olympic Team. Rose was amongst the 10 athletes from…
> Read moreHow? Why? These questions are the next step in capitalizing on what we already know to be true—that sport has the power to unite people across differences. If we understand…
> Read moreSport is a cost-effective, flexible and powerful tool in promoting peace and development objectives. It brings people together regardless of their origins and backgrounds, creates strong social cohesion and bonds,…
> Read moreLast weekend, 180 youngsters from 9 to 16 years old were protagonists at the 7th edition of the Great Lakes Friendship Games. During three days youth from Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo…
> Read moreWorld Mental Health Day, marked on October 10, is a day to reflect on the challenges refugee children face everyday; but especially in terms of their mental health. This day…
> Read more“For as long as we invest in outdated or self-serving models of humanitarian action, we will continue to trade in missed opportunities.” – Dr. Samantha Nutt It is time for…
> Read moreWhile Sport for Peace is widely seen as an emerging field, its antecedents can be traced back to the Olympic Truce where it was first used to settle temporary peace…
> Read moreHigh degrees of vulnerability are deeply entrenched in Nepali society and, among the diverse groups facing daily discrimination and lack of opportunities, are those citizens of the country living with…
> Read moreSince 2013 local youths with a great passion for basketball have decided to spend eleven months serving as ENGAGE Sport Coaches, ESCs the flagship program promoted by ENGAGE, a small…
> Read moreIn a recent skype conversation with Nicolai Zeltinger, the Head Coach of the German male wheelchair basketball team and the Coach of the RSV Lahn-Dill, the German, we learned how…
> Read moreThe International Day of Persons with Disabilities, marked on December 3rd, is a day to reflect on the importance to increase sport participation among persons living with disabilities. The Paralympics…
> Read moreWith 4,350 world-class athletes representing 176 nations competing for medals in 23 sport competitions, the upcoming Paralympic Games in Rio, especially after the great successes of the London edition, have…
> Read moreOne of the most important things that I have learned as a sport athlete came from the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. I went there with a vision of…
> Read moreThe eyes of the world will be focussed on Rio for the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad on Friday 5 August. Few may have noticed that…
> Read moreRecently I attended a junior’s wheelchair basketball tournament at Ability 360. This is a 62,000-square-foot universally designed, accessible and transit-oriented non-profit resources center serving the disability community in the Greater…
> Read moreThere are lessons to be learned from disability sports. It is those of us without a physical disability who put up barriers that prevent people with disabilities from playing, e.g….
> Read moreFootball is a dominant force for good in the lives of million youth and children worldwide. It has a universal language and it is used as platform for cooperation and…
> Read moreOne of the most important things that I have learned as a sport athlete came from outside of the rugby field, when I began to see the power of sport…
> Read more“The Role of Sport in Peace Building and Post-Conflict” was recently discussed in a public debate at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, a think tank and executive education institution…
> Read more“The Olympic flag is a universal symbol. It belongs to everyone. It belongs to mankind….it is the expression of universality and of brotherhood of the world.” Jacques Rogge, 2008 In…
> Read moreThe movement to use sport as a catalyst for improving the lives of girls has been growing globally. Many efforts have been done at the international level to promote girl’s…
> Read moreIn the modern era, the Olympic Flame has been a powerful symbol of peace, unity and solidarity. Last week, again, the Olympic Flame was lit in Greece spreading the message of…
> Read moreFor the athletes we work with day to day, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of their careers. As such, it is imperative that they are best prepared…
> Read moreIn social contexts with a history of conflict, sport for community development transcends the idea of a healthy alternative to use spare time and becomes a tool to develop skills…
> Read moreIn Colombia, throughout the territory, the dynamics of armed conflict have affected communities in all their dimensions, destroying social links, trust, integration and respect for others. The cycle of violence…
> Read moreDuring recent months, I have been helping Sandboarding Peru integrate behavioral principles into its coaching framework for underprivileged children and youth doing sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru. The approach and process…
> Read moreGlobal changes are challenging the way we mobilize for change. It’s not time to exit, but it is maybe last moment to change the way we play together. Young people…
> Read moreIf you were connected to social networks today, you couldn’t have missed the two vibrating topics #iLoveYOG and #youth4SDGs. With less than 100 days to go to the YOG the IOC…
> Read moreTwo premises guide the work of the Academy: that sport has a part to play in addressing the challenges that face humanity in the 21st century and to be seen…
> Read more“We can tackle Homelessness and football can show the way” were the opening words as the 2016 Homeless World Cup kicked of in Glasgow on the 10th of July. Small…
> Read moreLast weekend saw IOC President Thomas Bach claim that sport is a “natural partner” when it comes to realizing the ambitious agenda that will guide global development over the next…
> Read moreThis Peace Day, 21 September marks the 14th annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, which was unanimously adopted by the member states of the United Nations in 2001. The…
> Read moreRegardless of where I am in the world, the question I inevitably get asked when advocating for girls to have access to sport and personal development is, ‘But what about…
> Read moreThe date is an important one. For Peace and Sport, the date of 21 September is always written in capital letters, as is 6 April, which marks International Day of…
> Read moreI’d dare to see it as a sign. Last month, just one week apart, the paradigm of peace through sport spread across continents and generations. It was written in the…
> Read more“The curtain has now fallen on the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Over a four-week period, the tournament celebrated football: Its magic, its universality and its power to captivate the…
> Read moreWhat a year! Less than four months have gone by since the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, but the world has already fixed its attention on another global sporting event. The…
> Read moreThe PyeongChang Olympic Games provided a forceful and eloquent illustration: sport can succeed where politics fail. The sight of the two Koreas walking together in a procession transmitted a worldwide…
> Read moreThere’s a special image that will always make us think of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics: two athletes – a man and a woman – from the Korean delegation enter…
> Read moreLast friday, the entire world had its eyes turned towards Pyeongchang. Everyone watched the splendid pageant of the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony with excitement and emotion. During the delegations’…
> Read moreWhat is the priority of sport for peace in 2018? Should we focus on teaching, so that sport can create social change at schools and universities around the world? Should…
> Read moreThe African Great Lakes region, especially Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has witnessed decades of war and ethnic conflict since their independence in the 1960s. Hostilities…
> Read moreThe Sixth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI) held in Kazan, Russian Federation was a fruitful opportunity for Peace and Sport to appeal…
> Read moreThe world woke up with devastating news on June 4th: a third major terrorist strike in the UK in three months. That same week, within days, it was reported a…
> Read moreThe international community, activated by Peace and Sport, engaged last week in a successful mobilization, which proved that sport generates positive social change in the world. On the 4th edition of…
> Read moreSince the launch of the #WhiteCard campaign 4 years ago, more and more people have identified with the values of it and today, more than 28 million people have seen…
> Read more“Good wishes alone will not ensure peace”, said Alfred Nobel. Last week at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, I was pleased to see so many young people and…
> Read moreAs 2016 drew to a close I want to delve into the importance of using digital media and information platforms in the service of peace. Sport information content focused on…
> Read morePeace and Sport wants to demonstrate that sport is a tool at the service of global peace. It can be used in places where civil war, ethnic conflicts, natural disasters or extreme poverty…
> Read moreToday, at the end of a week marked with peace-related events, I write these words with optimism. This week, three events have been taking place in different parts of the…
> Read moreThirty-five years have passed since the United Nations General Assembly declared in a resolution the International Day of Peace, with a purpose to commemorate and strengthen the “ideals of peace…
> Read moreDuring the two-week of inaction between the Olympic and the Paralympic Games we have a unique opportunity to reflect how both events can improve conditions necessary for sustainable peace. Rio…
> Read moreThe traditional Olympic Truce, the sacred historical pause when nations around the world observe a period of peace, has begun. From 5th to 21st August the Rio 2016 Olympic Games…
> Read moreWe are living in society where individuals are becoming incrementally intolerant. The last few weeks have been plagued with intolerant attacks globally. Today, I am writing these words with a…
> Read moreThe 103rd edition of the Tour the France has begun. For the next 23 days the world’s most prestigious bike race will be a perfect occasion to celebrate the positive…
> Read moreRio 2016 Olympic Games will be remembered and its message of peace will prevail. Last Friday, the International Olympic Committee announced names of the ten athletes who will act not…
> Read morePeace and global change derive from initiatives or small projects that create a bonfire on a large scale. Leaving aside its size, each sport project has the potential to have…
> Read moreIn a compendium of achievements around the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) on April 6, the international community, activated by Peace and Sport, engaged in a successful global mobilization…
> Read moreOn April 6 people unite by one language and one belief: language of sport and conviction of a possible peace. In 2014 the International Day of Sport for Development and…
> Read moreA week ago, the world woke up with devastating news: a deadly explosion in Belgium left 35 people dead and 270 wounded. Three days later 32 people, among them many…
> Read moreSport likes symbols. They are firmly anchored in its history: the Olympic rings; the Olympic flame; the crystal globe; the golden ball. They are all part of the legend. They carry inherent values and have survived the…
> Read moreThomas Bach made the announcement at the beginning of March: a team of refugees will participate in the Rio Games in August 2016, made up of between 5 and 10…
> Read moreNovak Djokovic is a Champion for Peace. The Serbian tennis player joined Peace and Sport in April 2011 and, with conviction, commitment and humility, became part of a group of ambassadors…
> Read moreThe Olympic race has started in earnest for the four bidding cities for the 2024 summer Olympics. Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome presented their initial candidate files to the…
> Read moreTwenty-four goals were scored in French Premier League matches between 29 and 31 January 2016 on the 23rd day of the championship. Nine victories, of which four were away matches,…
> Read moreThe sign is strong and the message eloquent. And the sight will be amazing. In April 2016, the Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia in Greece, less than four…
> Read moreOn Monday 11 January 2016, the whole world of football was focussed on Zurich, where the official FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala was held. Lionel Messi won the main award, attracting a flurry…
> Read moreNews topics often influence scheduled events in the calendar year. The Olympic year of 2016 will also be the year of refugees. Not just in Europe, where hundreds of thousands…
> Read moreAs we’ve just entered 2016, the international sports movement has already set its eyes on Rio for this summer’s Olympic Games. Six months before, it’s in the Norwegian town of…
> Read moreCreating dialogue and raising more public awareness: this is the goal that we set ourselves with the launch of the Peace and Sport Watch in April 2015. The peace through…
> Read moreLooking back on the 8th edition of the Peace and Sport International Forum, I now understand why I was convinced that our gathering was the best possible response we could provide…
> Read moreThe world is changing fast, yet conscious of the cost of violence the trap is to invest more in warfare than in structured peace-building actions. Have we not learnt from…
> Read moreToday kicks off the 6th edition of the Friendship Games, an annual sports, cultural and awareness-raising event aimed at promoting fraternity among youth from bordering countries of the Great Lakes…
> Read moreOnly one month after 193 world leaders gathered in New York to commit to the SDG’s 17 Global Goals guiding the agenda of the United Nations for the next 15…
> Read moreThe term “Sports diplomacy”, describes the use of sport as a means to influence diplomatic, social, and political relations[1]. Sports in this context may transcend cultural differences and bring people…
> Read moreToday, the Nobel Peace Prize winner was announced, the laureate went out to the National Dialogue Quarteta for their contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in…
> Read moreToday, 193 world leaders will gather in New York for the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit to commit to the 17 Global Goals guiding the agenda of the United Nations…
> Read moreBeyond the recent tragic news, what I struggle with most is the fact that we have known the reality of a growing refugee crisis for years and that Europe could…
> Read moreAlthough I am currently in Kuala Lumpur for the IOC session, I feel the need to bring the attention back to Europe in order to highlight the event that is…
> Read moreJuly 18 has marked Nelson Mandela International Day since the 2009 unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. Taking place every year on his day of birth, the day does…
> Read moreSouth Sudan’s bid for recognition by the Olympic movement will be considered on 28 July during the IOC executive board meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If approved, the issue will then…
> Read morePeace is not just the absence of war. We are constantly reminded of this, notably by recent tragic events in Egypt, Tunisia and France. Whereas conflict historically occurred more between…
> Read more20 June is the UN International Refugee Day. This is not a celebration, of course, but rather a day to raise awareness and drive change to improve the situation. This…
> Read moreIn 2012, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the European Union and stated: “At a time of uncertainty, this day…
> Read moreBeyond politics, beyond corruption scandals and all the media hype let me invite you to the touching stories of everyday footballers who struggle to just play. These athletes have been…
> Read moreBack in December, US President Barack Obama and Cuba’s Raul Castro announced a historic change of course after more than five decades of Cold War strains. Although the 1962 US…
> Read moreA publicity stunt a week before the election? Possibly. However, I wish to express an angle that we are discussing a lot less, which ought to be more important to…
> Read moreIndigenous communities around the globe have in recent years been seen to increasingly speak out and defend their rights, traditions and belief systems. Although there is still a lot of…
> Read moreIt didn’t take long for Thomas Bach to find his bearings when stepping into his new shoes as IOC President, and to give the function a personal touch. Since his…
> Read moreIn the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Palestine doesn’t stop at the stadium doors. In recent weeks, football has even become, once again, a ground for expression. Quick…
> Read moreWorld sport owes much to ChoueChung-won and so does the world of peace. The South Korean leader, who’s been president of the International Taekwondo Federation (WTF) for over ten years,…
> Read moreHer name could be heard everywhere last year. Her story moved, shocked and saddened all who heard it. Ghoncheh Ghavami, a 26 year-old British-Iranian, was arrested in June 2014 in…
> Read moreThe use of recreational sport to advance peace building in highly volatile contexts has experienced a notable upsurge in recent years. This has been the case in conflict regions such…
> Read moreSport in all its varied forms have played a prominent role in Colombian society for decades. Ranging from improvised pickup games to professional leagues, sport is practiced massively across Colombia….
> Read moreThe post-2015 development agenda will set out a new plan for global development with the ambition to ‘transform our world by 2030’. Through the post-2015 process the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Sport…
> Read moreAccording to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), which governs track, female Indian sprinter Dutee Chand was only eligible to compete if her “male hormone” or testosterone level was…
> Read moreMilitant, street battle-hardened Egyptian soccer fans set the stage for growing protests against the government of general-turned-president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi when they earlier this month forced their way into…
> Read moreIsrael and Palestine are playing political soccer with Palestinian football as the ball. The stakes for Israel are far higher than for Palestine. Israel is effectively on probation as it…
> Read moreWhat is the true purpose of sport and play? What constitutes the essential core of these activities? How do sport and play serve humanity and societies around the world? We…
> Read moreThe Nobel Prize currently recognizes significant international contributions in categories of Peace, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics. The time has come to consider adding a new category – a…
> Read moreWorld Refugee day, marked on June 20, is a moment to reflect about challenges refugees are facing in their everyday lives, as well as about the resilience they demonstrate in…
> Read moreOn July 15th this year, with my fellow marathon runner John Kelai and Wilson Kipsang we started a Walk for Peace in Kenya. Our itinerary took us on a 22…
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