- The organizations have commemorated the International Day of Sport for Development Day and Peace by organizing a sports day for boys and girls at the High-Performance Center of the Superior Council of Sports in Madrid, and a forum on sport and international cooperation, held at the headquarters of the government agency.
April 18, 2024.- The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Young Sports Foundation of the Superior Council of Sports, and Fútbol Más España, have developed different actions linked to the ‘Sport for One Humanity’ initiative, and to the recent celebration of the ‘World Sport for Development Day’, on April 6.
The ‘Sport for One Humanity’ campaign aims to support grassroots sports projects that promote peace, mutual understanding, and cooperation among diverse communities and cultures worldwide, and to raise awareness of sport for development. This action aims to highlight and prioritize projects that promote diversity and inclusion; education; the empowerment of girls, boys, young people, and women; and the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies through sport.
As part of the initiative, the day ‘Promoting Development and Peace through Sport’ took place in the Samaranch Room of the Superior Council of Sports, with the participation of prominent speakers in the field of international cooperation.
The General Director of Fundación Deporte Joven, Félix Jordán de Urríes, was responsible for opening the forum, highlighting “the profound transformative impact of sport on communities and the lives of people around the world”.
“Sport – he added – is an instrument for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, and forums for debate like the one we are celebrating are a boost to discuss challenges, share best practices, and explore all collaboration opportunities with the aim of contributing to global efforts towards sustainable development and peace to drive positive social change. This initiative organized by the three entities demonstrates the commitment of the Young Sports Foundation to promote the Sustainable Development Goals and to promote human rights and peace through sport“.
The first-round table, ‘Sport as a Tool for Change’, featured interventions from writer and NGO advisor Chema Caballero; Olympic athlete and social worker Aaui Bokesa, and the president of the Fundaciò Esport Solidari Internacional, Josep Maldonado. The speakers reflected on the role of sports programs in educating tolerance and respect for individual differences. Additionally, they analyzed the most common challenges faced by organizations that use sports as a tool for peace development. Finally, the speakers shared the most inspiring stories they have witnessed about how sports have positively transformed people’s lives.
Following this, former international rugby player, president, and founder of PGR ONG Patricia García delivered the lecture ‘Planting Values: The Essence of Free Rugby’, highlighting the importance of generating projects that involve sustainable development, with education and entrepreneurship at the center of action and the driving force for social transformation. Patricia García also pointed out that it is essential to create self-sustaining models to extrapolate the acquired knowledge and empower beneficiary communities.
On the other hand, the Executive Director of Fútbol Más España, Aitor Hernández, presented the activity report for 2023 of Fútbol Más, explaining the impact and projects of the organization in Spain. As has been well demonstrated, Fútbol Más has worked with more than 4,400 children, young people, and families, through the different projects they carry out in Spain and other countries in the EU. Fútbol Más, through its methodology, creates safe and protected spaces for children and their families, addressing themes such as gender equality, the inclusion of migrants and refugees, physical and emotional well-being, and education.
Raquel Gámez, Sports Program Coordinator of One Humanity, closed the event, concluding with a call to action to promote inclusion and peace through sports, in line with the principles of the One Humanity campaign. She highlighted the transformative power of sports, reminding us that commitment and passion can drive significant changes in our communities and societies, emphasizing the importance of intercultural dialogue and collaboration in building more harmonious and respectful societies. Additionally, she emphasized the need to continue working in collaboration with sports actors and organizations to achieve sustainable impact in local and international communities.
Furthermore, the High-Performance Center of the Superior Council of Sports in Madrid hosted a second action, in this case, a sports day that brought together more than 50 boys and girls participating in one of Fútbol Más España’s socio-sports projects. All of them enjoyed different activities through which, across the game and socio-sports methodology of Fútbol Más, they have been able to work and reflect on children’s rights and the positive values of sports. Additionally, they have visited the pavilions, training rooms, and sports courts. The facilities are prepared for the practice of 25 sports modalities and host an average of 1,000 high-level athletes.
