International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

This event will examine how sports development initiatives can be leveraged more systematically as part of broader strategies for youth empowerment, prevention of violence and extremism, and the promotion of inclusive and peaceful societies. It will provide a platform for Member States and stakeholders to exchange experiences, highlight best practices, and explore opportunities for strengthened partnerships. Across many regions, young people living in conditions of poverty, marginalization, and limited access to education and employment remain particularly vulnerable to recruitment by violent extremist groups and involvement in crime and violence. These structural conditions, compounded by social exclusion and lack of opportunity, create environments where youth may be drawn toward destructive pathways, with implications for peace, stability, and sustainable development. In this context, sport has emerged as a practical and effective tool for prevention. There is increasing recogniti...

The 2026 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, themed " Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers ," highlights the power of athletics as a universal language to foster social inclusion, reduce isolation, and advance the UN 2030 Agenda by connecting communities across borders and generations. The United Nations General Assembly designated 6 April as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) to recognize sport's transformative role in promoting peace, inclusion, and sustainable development. Sport is a universal language that transcends cultural, social, and political boundaries, making it a strategic tool for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development . It contributes to health, education, gender equality, and social cohesion while reducing inequalities and fostering peaceful societies. The 2026 observance will focus on the theme 'Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,' highlighting sport's capacit...

A Celebration Of Unity Through Sport. DESA announced that the Second United Nations Games took place in April 2025 in New York. Building on the success of the inaugural edition, the UN Games 2025 will continue to foster camaraderie, diplomacy, and collaboration through the power of sport. Organized under the framework of Sport for Development and Peace, this initiative highlights the role of sports in promoting education, health, inclusion, and international cooperation. The Games will bring together diplomats, UN staff, and representatives from specialized agencies to compete in a range of sports, encouraging teamwork and solidarity among participants. The UN Games 2025 will be made possible through voluntary contributions and the active engagement of UN Member States. As preparations begin, all regional groups are invited to nominate candidates for the Organizing Committee, ensuring broad representation and inclusivity. For further information on participation and scheduling, contact...

  This  event  is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the UN, the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco to the UN and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs , in anticipation of the Second World Summit for Social Development to hold in November 2025 in Doha. It will explore how sport can address systemic barriers, foster inclusion and empower individuals, thereby advancing the objectives of the WSSD2 and strengthening the role of sport in achieving the SDGs. Get the  Programme ! Watch the 2025 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace High-level event!

  02:40:50 '' Advancing Social Inclusion Through Sport: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development. '' High-level Events  2025 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace . Opening by the Moderator Mr. Andrew Luria, Sports journalist, FOX 5 San Diego  Welcome Remarks  H.E. Ms. Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN  H.E. Ms. Isabelle Picco, Permanent Representative of the Principality of Monaco to the UN  Opening Remarks  H.E. Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, DESA H.E. Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women  Panel Discussion  Ms. Asma Al-Thani, Qatari mountaineer, UNHCR partner Mr. Jamal Hill, American swimmer, Paralympic bronze medalist  Mr. Justin Morrow, America, soccer player, social justice activist, Head of Sports Partnerships & Programs at the USC Race & Equity Center  Ms. Veronica Sheffey, America...

Sport for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies. Thursday, 4 April 2024, 11 AM ET - 1PM ET. Conference Room 12, UNHQ, New York. To mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN Department of Global Communications in collaboration with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and the Permanent Missions of the State of Qatar and Principality of Monaco to the United Nations (Co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace) is hosting an event Thursday, 4 April 2024 at 11 am ET in Conference Room 12. UN grounds pass holders can join in person and the event will also be live streamed on the UN WebTV channel for those who would like to join online. Prominent athletes and leaders in the world of sport will share creative and innovative ways that sporting collaborations are tackling climate change, promoting access to education, advancing the global drive for sustainability, and fighti...

Join us to celebrate #SportDay at UN Headquarters on 4 April! Learn more and register by April 2nd. /sport-day/events

  International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2024 Registration Event theme: Sport for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies DATE: Thursday, 4 April 2024 TIME: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET) Please fill out this form and click the SUBMIT button at the end to register. Registrations will close on Tuesday, 2 April 2024 at 12 p.m. (ET). For information go to the 2024 IDSDP event  page.

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...

Last week a delegation from Peace and Sport traveled to India to visit the Naandi Foundation, an active member of the Peacemakers Project international coalition .The visit was organized in the framework of the Toofaan Games’ National Finals, an annual series of athletics events from villages to national levels aimed at empowering girls through sports. The 4th edition brought together 180 000 girls from 6 000 villages across India, and was marked by the presence of Champion for Peace Marlène Harnois inspiring and motivating girls and educators. The French-Canadian Olympic medalist described « the Toofaan Games as an heartwarming experience promoting the positive values of sport for women and youth empowerment ». The Naandi Foundation is one of the largest and fastest growing social sector organizations in India working to make poverty history and providing instruments for a better tomorrow to the girls, youth, and farmers of India. As part of its long-lasting “Nanhi Kali” project, a...

  Peace and Sport outlined its objectives and highlights for 2024 during a presentation attended by Monegasque institutions, Champions for Peace, the Organization’s partners, and stakeholders from civil society.   In this Olympic year, marked by a resurgence of international conflicts, the Monegasque Organization wishes to vigorously reaffirm the importance of sport as a tool for peace. The Champions for Peace, athletes committed to the Organization, will have a central role in all Peace and Sport initiatives. As leaders and role models, their mission will be to carry this message around the world, strengthening the impact of Peace and Sport’s actions in favor of peace . A unique #WhiteCard campaign carried out by the Champions will mark 2024 and begin during a conference dedicated to the role of athletes in society, scheduled for April 4 in Paris, in partnership with UNESCO. This message will be amplified during major sporting events such as the Paris 2024 Olympic and Par...

The third edition of the Friendship Games organized by Cop Colombia as part of the Peacemakers Project, brought together children, Peace Educators, colombian athletes and Champions for Peace to celebrate the major impact of sport on creating a culture of peace in Usme, Colombia. Peace Educators took part in the 3rd cycle of training on the Peace and Sport Methodology, strengthening their capacity to implement structured sport-based sessions in new neighborhoods, with the support of the Alcaldia Local de Usme. Additional sports, Basketball and Rugby, introduced on this occasion are set to impact 16 new clubs, marking a significant step towards community empowerment and scale-up project. Showcasing the Peace and Sport Methodology in action with Champions for Peace The Friendship Games 2023 saw the participation of engaged athletes and Champions for Peace, including Taekwondo Olympic Medallist and Representative of the Champions for Peace Club, Marlene Harnois, Former Captain of the F...

The 2023 Paris Peace Forum sport was placed at the epicenter of peace and global cooperation discussions.Peace and Sport participated to highlight the role of sports in fostering peace and building a fairer and more equal world. Our booth in the Forum’s Space for Solutions emerged as a hub of innovation and collaboration. Through dynamic presentations, interactive exhibits, and engaging discussions, we aimed to demonstrate how Sport can serve as a tool for positive change both on a global and grassroots level . We presented the Peacemakers Project as a multifaceted solution, providing global mentoring to engage stakeholders in implementing peace through sports programs. Based on a bottom-up approach, this solution offers comprehensive support in responding to the expressed needs and adapting to local contexts . Empowering youth through sport Stepping into the spotlight was Marlene Harnois, representative of the Champions for Peace Club. In a session dedicated to the power of youth i...

As leading advocate for champions social commitment, Peace and Sport is delighted to announce that the documentary “Rise: Siya Kolisi Story ” produced by Orange Films and Star Films production company has been awarded at the prestigious SPORTEL Award . This accolade recognizes the remarkable achievements of this inspirational documentary, which sheds light on the extraordinary journey of Siya Kolisi, a symbol of hope, resilience, and unity. The story of the first black South African rugby captain who against all odds led the South African national team to win the 2019 World Cup Rugby and in turn unites the country. Kolisi vulnerably reflects on the various challenges he has tackled on his journey from humble beginnings to becoming the Springboks’ first black African captain. Proceeds from “Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story” are channeled back to the community and various worthy causes supported by the Kolisi family. With Siya Kolisi story, the documentary contributes to illustrate Peace ...

Peace and Sport supports the organizers of major sporting events in implementing legacy programs focused on sport as a vector of living together and peace . On the occasion of the Francophone Games Kinshasa 2023 , Champion for Peace Benjamin Boukpeti, Olympic medalist, raised awareness among young athletes about their positive impact on society.   Major sporting events bringing together thousands of people of different origins are a unique opportunity to capitalize on the power of sport as an instrument of dialogue and inclusion . Organizing Committees and Host Cities need to build legacy programs that incorporate the knowledge and experience of grassroots stakeholders and athletes to have a lasting impact on local communities and beyond. On the occasion of the IX Games of La Francophonie (Kinshasa, July 28-August 6, 2023) , Peace and Sport signed a partnership agreement with the International Committee of the Games of La Francophonie (CIJF) and the National Committee of t...

– The agreement will make it possible to reach territories where internal armed conflict and other issues have prevented Colombian citizens from pursuing their life goals for years. – Training and program strengthening, as well as joint work with national entities and the private sector, are among the objectives of this agreement. The Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Peace and Sport, L’Organisation pour la Paix par le Sport, based in the Principality of Monaco (Europe), with the aim of promoting peace through sport . Through this partnership, the parties are committed to creating spaces for the training and reinforcement of local stakeholders in the practice of different sports, with the aim of transmitting a culture of peace in the different regions of Colombia. “We welcome the signing of this document, as it will enable us to establish a clear roadmap for reaching territories with an urgent need to boost programs encouraging new generation...

Athletes, International Federations, National Olympic Committees, political leaders, companies, international and not-for-profit organizations got massively mobilized behind Peace and Sport’s #WhiteCard campaign as they celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), the UN-recognized celebration of the contribution of sport to inclusion, development and a peaceful world . Launched by Peace and Sport in 2014, the #WhiteCard campaign, which has reached over 897 million people worldwide, invites people to take pictures of themselves with WhiteCards, before sharing them on social media. This year’s theme “ 10 years, United through the #WhiteCard ”, encouraged people to develop sport-based initiatives around the IDSDP and aimed to raise awareness of the importance of making sport a priority towards institutions. This message reached 180 million people on social networks, which is the best performance so far. The Principality of ...

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) , which takes place annually on 6 April , presents an opportunity to recognize the positive role sport and physical activity play in communities and in people’s lives across the globe. Sport has the power to change the world; it is a fundamental right and a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and promote sustainable development and peace, as well as solidarity and respect for all. The global theme for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023 is “ Scoring for People and the Planet ”. As in previous years, this overarching theme allows for IDSDP activities to broadly focus around the impact and influence of sport on sustainable development and peace. From empowering women and girls, young people, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups to advancing health, sustainability, and education objectives, sport offers tremendous potential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SD...

During the panel discussion; We will discuss The role that sports and major sporting events play in communities , and The importance of sports in our everyday lives and the impact it has on communities . The event organized by The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations The Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations , Football for the Goals , UNITAR and A Call for Peace takes place on the occasion of 10th anniversary of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP). Beyond the Cup is the first documentary series retracing the impactful decision-making process for achieving architectural sustainability, cultural legacy, and cultural heritage.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), this year's event at UN Headquarters in New York recognizes the role of sport in addressing climate change, promoting gender equality, and tackling racism. The observance features conversations with elite athletes (Batouly Camara, Javier Zanetti, Amine Zariat, and Graham Zimmerman), leading industry figures from the NHL, FIFPRO, NBPA Foundation, USTA, Women's Sports Foundation, and PUMA. The event is organized by the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) and Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) , with the support of the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco to the United Nations, and the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations.