Her Excellency Ms. Isabelle Picco, Ambassador of Monaco to the United Nations, highlights for Peace and Sport the importance of sport as a lever for development and peace.
What inspired you personally to advocate for sport as a tool for development?
Sport and the oceans are Monaco’s two main priorities at the United Nations. The commitment of the Sovereign Prince — an Olympian and a member of the International Olympic Committee — along with the prominent role of sport in Monaco meant that, when I was appointed Ambassador in 2009, I already knew how powerful sport could be as a lever for development. That understanding was decisive. It led me, the following year, to take on the co-chairmanship of the Group of Friends of Sport at the UN, at the invitation of my colleague from Switzerland.
Monaco became a full member of the United Nations on May 28, 1993. During our very first General Assembly, the first resolution Monaco co-sponsored was on the Olympic ideal. From the very beginning, sport has been a key topic for us.
Monaco may not carry major political weight, but precisely because we have no enemies, we speak to everyone. We are able to engage with all regional groups. That brings us great satisfaction. My advice is this: never hesitate to reach out to National Olympic Committees and to sport federations — that’s what they’re there for.
In your view, how can sport contribute concretely to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015. Before that, we had the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were more limited in scope. Sport has a role to play in nearly all of the SDGs within this development framework. Its contribution to health, education, and the environment may seem obvious, but in reality, sport can positively impact all 17 SDGs. Reducing inequalities, building sustainable cities, addressing climate action, promoting gender equality — there isn’t a single area where sport cannot make a difference. Take Goal 8 for example : decent work and economic growth. At first glance, sport’s role might not seem clear. But once we consider the economic power of sport, its relevance becomes immediately evident. In terms of responsible consumption (Goal 12), sport can set an example : stadiums, for instance, no longer sell plastic bottles. And on climate action (Goal 13), we must ask ourselves whether it remains viable to host Winter Olympic Games in places where there is no longer any natural snow and where it must be artificially produced. We could also mention sport’s role in areas such as industry, innovation, and performance… Sport can be present across the board, which makes it a truly powerful lever for development.
« Sport is a form of soft power »
Is the Group of Friends of Sport also a way to highlight this field?
Absolutely. The group was initially established by Switzerland. At the time, it was co-chaired by Switzerland and Tunisia, which had promoted an International Year of Physical Education and Sport. That initiative was very important, and we must not forget it because an international year has long-lasting impact. It’s not just a « single » day of observance.
When Secretary-General António Guterres took office, after leading the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, he decided not to renew the mandate of the Special Adviser on Sport. At that moment, the Group of Friends of Sport shifted from a supporting role for the Special Adviser to a much more proactive one. In addition, the adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals allowed us to take greater ownership of this agenda alongside our colleagues from Qatar, who co-chair the Group. We were able to engage with various UN agencies — UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), UNICEF, UN Women — and with the broader system represented in New York, and ask: “In 2015, the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs were adopted. What are you doing to specifically implement this mandate?” That led to very, very interesting exchanges.
In 2017, UNESCO also launched the Kazan Action Plan. It served as a « blueprint » for countries that did not yet have a public policy on sport or on sport development. The Kazan Action Plan, along with the International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS), provides clear guidance on how to establish and implement such policies.
In Monaco, we are fortunate to have compulsory physical education in our school system, and outstanding public sports infrastructure that is freely accessible. Sport is promoted throughout the Principality. This year, Monaco holds the title of World Capital of Sport, and major events on water, on land, and in the air stand as testament to that. Sport is truly an integral part of our national policy.
Monaco is often very active on social issues at the United Nations. How does your delegation help move such initiatives forward, particularly those related to sport?
The UN is an intergovernmental organization, so we represent our governments. Our role is to promote policies that support the UN’s core mandates: peace, security, development, and human rights. Sport is a form of soft power, and everything at the UN happens through the adoption of resolutions, which must be negotiated. Whenever a theme or a UN body discusses an issue where sport can play a role, we propose what is known as “language” and negotiate it with other Member States. We do this not on behalf of the Group of Friends of Sport, but in our individual national capacity. And increasingly, it is being accepted.
As for International Days, the one on April 6th (International Day of Sport for Development and Peace) was adopted twelve years ago. Since then, the International Day of the Bicycle, the International Day of Football were also established… Sport is drawing more and more interest from delegations, because it brings us together. Too often, our delegations are divided over more sensitive topics, sport offers a rare space where we can come together to build something positive, for the benefit of humanity. That may sound lofty, but it is at the very heart of our mission. We must always keep in mind the words: “We, the peoples.”
We therefore have to engage in negotiations, whether during meetings of the Commission for Social Development, the Commission on the Status of Women, or every two years for the biennial resolution presented to the General Assembly, based on a report by the Secretary-General to which Peace and Sport contributes. It is a process that moves forward gradually, step by step.
One example is the initiative led by UN Women on gender equality in the lead-up to the Paris Olympic Games, during a summit organized by the IOC. It further raised awareness of the importance of sport for the global agenda. Each time a theme gives us the opportunity to act, we take it.
Does including sport in official texts help facilitate the work of grassroots actors?
We hope so. They can point out that the country in question has endorsed or co-sponsored the resolution and is therefore committed. It’s also important to remember that the International Olympic Committee provides funding to National Olympic Committees. The IOC can encourage some countries to get involved and develop a genuine sports policy.
It’s really a symbiotic process for states that may not yet be in a position to implement a fully-fledged sports policy within their development strategies, perhaps because they consider other issues more pressing. But I’ll say it again, everything is beneficial when it comes to sport. In these challenging times, when we’re tasked with negotiating these topics and manage to show our colleagues that supporting us is worthwhile, we’re truly pleased!
“Helping countries implement public policies”
You mentioned the IOC. It spoke at the Seville gathering on financing, but in the end, sport was not included in the final text. Why?
The document adopted in Seville is called the “Seville Compromise.” Last year, we were negotiating the Pact for the Future, and we really pushed hard. It was very, very difficult to have sport included, but we succeeded. Seville focused strictly on financing, specifically the financing of development policies. So when the Pact for the Future is referenced, sport is indirectly part of it. It’s also important to note that many regional development agencies were present in Seville, as was the IOC, which took the floor using its observer status at the General Assembly.
Sport will be much more prominent at the upcoming Doha summit on social development. The role of sport no longer needs to be proven. What we need now is to move to the next stage: helping countries implement the public policies they’ve committed to, policies they sometimes delay due to other priorities.
Is this the next major challenge in making sport even more central—helping countries develop these policies on the ground?
Yes, and that’s precisely why the work of Peace and Sport, which trains educators so they can later act independently, is essential. When they seek support from a ministry, they can already demonstrate tangible impact. What politician or government would refuse to get involved? An organization like Peace and Sport is a pioneer in this field, and we are very proud to have it based in Monaco.
« We’re here to advocate for public policies, not to organize flashy events »
Training educators is also a way to build long-term impact, rather than just a one-off initiative…
That’s the worst approach. We’re here to advocate for public policies, not to organize flashy events. Inviting a big celebrity who demands a private jet and special treatment that costs millions, when just a fraction of that could fund meaningful action on the ground, I refuse that. Our role, as representatives of our governments, is to legislate at the international level by adopting resolutions, and to ensure that the relevant UN agencies implement them.
These are meant to be win-win situations. You can’t imagine how many UN officials got their education, secured a position within the Secretariat, simply because at one point they received a scholarship, played sports at school, and were later able to attend university. That’s what we want.
We don’t want to see children recruited in Africa, with their parents going into debt, only to be abandoned later in Europe. That’s unacceptable. And that’s where the UN system comes in as a support mechanism. Countries need to know that the system exists to help them and that’s what I want to promote. The IOC and the Sovereign Prince understand this well and are fully committed, because they know just how powerful sport can be.
How can we mobilize sustainable funding to support the integration of sport into development policies?
As with any development policy, the key lies in partnerships. Top athletes have huge followings on social media, many have created foundations, and they invest significant amounts financially. In a UN Women report, we discussed the sports ecosystem — the IOC, federations, the UN system — and especially all the money involved in sport, notably through brands. The key to all funding, not just for sport, is partnerships.
The model will be Kazan. Then, how do we implement Kazan? We seek funding — private or public. Regional development banks are becoming increasingly involved, which is a good thing because culturally they are closer to the states. We keep saying that one size doesn’t fit all, but at the supranational level, it’s difficult to get into details. For all funding matters, returning to the local level is a good solution. We have organizations like Peace and Sport that focus on setting things up. For example, in a village or town, a remote area. Little by little, it grows, and it becomes easier to secure funding. The funds exist; we just need to show potential investors that they will get a return on investment.
In a country like Monaco, you have major sporting events like the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Herculis meeting, which are naturally fabulous sponsors. But for the poorest countries, public development aid comes into play. It has to be part of the educational curriculum.
The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- No poverty
- Zero hunger
- Good health and well-being
- Quality education
- Gender equality
- Clean water and sanitation
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Reduced inequalities
- Sustainable cities and communities
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
- Life below water
- Life on land
- Peace, justice and strong institutions
- Partnerships for the goals
Peace and Sport – Simon Bardet