The French Embassy in Togo has commissioned Peace and Sport to train 7 Togolese Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the basics of Peace through Sport.

Winners of the “Sport, Inclusion and Social Cohesion” call for projects, these 7 organizations are using sport as a tool to build a culture of peace throughout Togo. They beneficit from the French Embassy support in terms of best-practice sharing and training activities designed to strengthen the impact and sustainability of their actions.

The Peace and Sport Academy is fully in line with this approach and with the recommendations of our organization. Recognition of Peace Educators as qualified, employable personnel is decisive. Professionalizing their status means providing training modules adapted to local contexts, and tools to support these men and women on whom the impact of our programs depends.

A training seminar led by Benjamin Boukpeti, representative of the Champions for Peace Club and Togo’s only Olympic medallist, and Jean Simedo, Peace and Sport Methodology expert for West Africa, met expectations of CSOs on four fundamental pillars:

• Master values and concepts related to the establishment of lasting peace
• Conduct activities to transmit values through sport
• Adopt attitudes conducive to a culture of peace
• Master the “Peace and Sport x MyCoach” digital tool

Sarah BELHADI, French Embassy in Togo and project manager for “Sport, inclusion and social cohesion in Togo”:

“It was only natural for us to call on Peace and Sport for our “Sport, inclusion and social cohesion in Togo” project. This training provides real tools and values for CSOs to learn how to build and structure sustainable peace in their communities through sport. I think this training is really constructive for our project leaders, as it combines practice with theory, and enables us to broaden the role of sport in society by mobilizing it as a real vector for inclusion and social cohesion, far from confining it to physical performance alone.”

 Benjamin Boukpeti, Olympic Medalist and Champion for Peace:

“As a Togolese Champion for Peace, I’m delighted to see this first generation of peace through sport educators being trained and developing their skills. Educators in the field are the key players in dialogue, and thanks to this training, they have gained access to the tools they need to spread the values of peace to young people through sport. I’m very proud and moved to have planted these first seeds of peace in Togo alongside Peace and Sport”.

Karen AGBADJA, Aquereburu Foundation and CSO winner of the “Sport, inclusion and social cohesion in Togo” project:

“For me, a peace educator is someone who transmits values linked to peace, social cohesion and inclusion. Thanks to the training I acquired a certain amount of theoretical knowledge about peace through sport, and then of course practical skills. How to organize concrete peace through sport sessions, how to speak in front of children, how to get them to play while teaching them, transmitting values.”

To assess the impact of this training, a field study is currently underway. A researcher from the University of Paris-Nanterre assisted with the preparations and implementation, and will be following up with the beneficiary CSOs in the coming weeks to share recommendations.