Meeting Outcomes
Harnessing the Power of Sport for Development and Peace
On August 14, 2004, Right To Play co-hosted a Roundtable Forum entitled “Harnessing the Power of Sport for Development and Peace” during the XXVIII Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The Roundtable Forum brought together political leaders and experts in development to showcase the potential of sport in achieving social, economic, health and development goals, thereby initiating the first steps toward the creation of a new policy framework for the use of sport for development and peace by governments around the world. Although getting political leaders together to discuss such important and sensitive issues as HIV/AIDS prevention, peace and conflict resolution can be regarded as an important positive result in itself, the main overall outcome of the Athens Roundtable Forum was the establishment of the Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group (SDP IWG), as a four-year policy initiative to help mainstream sport as a low-cost effective tool for development in national and international programs and policies. Governments and the UN agencies represented at the Roundtable Forum pledged their support to the SDP IWG, while Right To Play assumed the role of the Secretariat for the initiative. To build on the momentum generated during the Roundtable Forum, the Secretariat was tasked with arranging the first inaugural meeting of the SDP IWG in May 2005.
To download the Reprot from the Athens Roundtable Forum, click here
SDP IWG INAUGURAL MEETING, May 24, 2005 (New York, USA)
Conceived at the 2004 Athens Roundtable Forum – Harnessing the Power of Sport for Development and Peace, the official launch and first meeting of the SDP IWG took place on May 24 2005 in New York. Ministers of Sport, Development, and Youth from 15 countries, directors of key UN agencies, together with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) met to discuss the international mobilization of sport to achieve development and peace, with a particular focus on realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Led by the Minister of State for Sport, Canada joined the governments of Switzerland and Norway in playing a driving role in this initiative, providing critical funding, policy input and political leadership.
Some of the general outcomes of the meeting included the recognition of the development potential of sport, and the importance of including sport as a tool for development and peace in the national Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and national development frameworks.
You can download the report from the meeting 
SDP IWG Report Final(1).pdf
Summary Outcomes from the Executive Committee Meeting- March 10, 2006 (Torino, Italy)
The meeting included high-level representatives from 16 countries, UNDP, UNESCO and the UN Office of Sport for Development and Peace as well as several international non-governmental organizations and sport federations. The meeting was co-hosted by the International Paralympic Committee and chaired by the UNDP.
The meeting generated in-depth discussions of the key findings of the draft Preliminary Report, with a special focus on the role of the national governments and the Executive Committee members in moving Sport for Development and Peace forward on the international and national agendas.
To download the Outcome Document from Torrino, please click here
Summary Outcomes from the Executive Committee Meeting- December 4, 2007 (Accra, Ghana)
The Accra Call for Action on Sport for Development and Peace contains key recommendations to national Governments on harnessing the power of sport to attain development objectives.
ACCRA, GHANA - The Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group (SDP IWG) held its third Ministerial Meeting on December 4, 2007 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Government of Ghana. The monumental meeting, which brought together 42 Governments and more than 20 Ministers from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, concluded with The Accra Call to Action on Sport for Development and Peace (click to download) that outlines strong recommendations going forward as well as the recommendation for a second mandate following the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, with Right To Play continuing its function as the SDP IWG Secretariat.
The government of Ghana effectively embraces the use of sport to achieve development and peace objectives and was one of the first countries to include sport as a tool for development in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. As a leader in Sport for Development and Peace, the Government of Ghana is well-placed to promote the importance of sport and play programs which contribute to holistic development.
A field visit, which took place December 5th at the Burma Camp Education Centre, wrapped-up the visit and saw delegates participate in a specially-designed Play Day organized by Right To Play. There, the guests experienced the power of sport as a tool for development and peace first-hand as local Coaches and teachers led children in activities. Those who attended were deeply impressed with the obvious learning outcomes as evidenced through the “reflect, connect, and apply” methodology used to encourage children to relate the lessons and information learned from the game back to their immediate lives.
