The resolution “Sport for sustainable development” was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 1 December 2022. This major text recalls the capacity of sport to change mentalities, prejudices and behaviour and to defuse conflicts. The resolution also reaffirms the growing contribution of sport to development and peace, through the tolerance and respect it fosters, as well as to the achievement of education and social inclusion goals.

This document was adopted by consensus following intergovernmental negotiations led by the Permanent Mission of Monaco, which co-chairs the Group of Friends of Sport at the United Nations, underlining the Principality’s active role in the field of sport for development and peace.

This content is fully aligned with the messages and recommendations carried by our organisation.

Based on its expertise and the testimonies of field actors gathered throughout the world for several years, Peace and Sport calls on decision-makers to deploy the intentional use of sport as a tool to transmit values.

Capacity building, pedagogical support, the development of an integrated approach and programme evaluation are key elements to unlock the use of sport as a tool for peace.

This premise and the resulting recommendations were presented in detail at the 13th Peace and Sport International Forum, which took place in Monaco on 30 November and 1 December. Under the theme “Sport is an answer for peace”, world experts were able to exchange views with programme leaders representing the realities on the ground, based on one conviction: if used with the intention of achieving the objectives of transmitting values, in an appropriate setting and by qualified educators, sport can become a decisive tool for building a deep and lasting culture of peace.

Several of these messages carried by Peace and Sport were reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly in the resolution of 1 December, including:

– The establishment of institutional consultation mechanisms to involve grassroots actors in the co-design of policies and regulations
o The UN urges Member States to strengthen their collaboration with civil society organisations implementing sport for development and peace initiatives.

– Building local capacity and recognizing peace educators as qualified and employable personnel
o Member States are encouraged to promote the ongoing training, capacity building and education of physical education teachers, sports coaches and community leaders in Sport for Development and Peace programmes.

Picture : IDSDP event organised at the UN Headquarters in 2017 in New York, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Monaco.