PEACE & SPORT


PLAYING FOR AMNESTY W


ith sport so embedded in so many cultures, we often overlook its most basic civilising influences:


empowerment, confidence, sense of fair play, camaraderie, team working and a sense of shared purpose. Plus it’s fun and, as well as bringing out our competitive sides, it also makes us smile. For these reasons a number of


adventurous organisations are braving warzones and volatile areas to take sport- ing opportunities to the people living there. Politically neutral, these projects are all about highlighting the similarities between people, not the differences. As Dorian Paskowitz, founder of Surfing- 4Peace, says: “God and the devil would surf together if the waves were good.”


PROMOTING PEACE THROUGH SPORT Peace and Sport is one of the forerunners of the unity through sport movement. A politically neutral, Monaco-based organisation, it was set up in 2007 by Prince Albert II of Monaco and former pentathlete Joel Bouzou, based on their convictions that sport can change the world for the better. “We promote peace through sport


towards the most influential decision makers and with grassroots projects in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas,” says Bouzou. Peace and Sport works with NGOs,


governments, associations and Na- tional Sports Federations to design and


40 Skateistan provides youngsters in Afghanistan with an education, valuable skills and a safe haven SPORTS MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK 2013 www.sportsmanagementhandbook.com


implement sports programmes within local contexts, rather than trying to impose a standardised system. Currently it is operating in Timor Leste, Ivory Coast, Israel/Palestine, Great Lakes Region of Africa, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Columbia. Bouzou says that one of the greatest


examples of how sport can break down barriers was demonstrated at the 1st Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup in Doha, Qatar, in 2011. North and South Korea – two nations which refuse to meet in other contexts – were among the 10 nations taking part. “Peace and Sport offered a unique opportunity to officials from politically divided countries


Sport is a universal language which can transcend any number of differences. Kath Hudson looks at projects which are making a positive difference in some of the world’s most challenging and unlikely places


to attend the same tournament and to share time and talks,” says Bouzou. Going forward, Peace and Sport will be


reaching out to more leaders, through its international forum, field projects, and the development of continental hubs. Encouraging private corporations to get involved is one of the key goals. “Year after year, the peace through


sport family gets wider, with a growing number of heads of state, international institutions, peace leaders, athletes and local organisations joining,” says Bouzou. “I see in this dynamic the sign that our action is going forward. Who knows how far we can go.” • www.peace-sport.org


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156