The power of sport to push for progress in alignment the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was explicitly acknowledged through a General Assembly resolution, adopted at UN Headquarters on Monday, 3 December 2018.

The resolution recognises the use of sport as a vehicle to create change and “foster sustainable development…and respect and facilitate social inclusion, conflict prevention and peacebuilding,” and calls for Member States to utilise sport where applicable to advance the SDGs, in partnership with interested stakeholders, including the sports community, civil society, international organisations and businesses.

Sport has long been heralded by the UN as a means to realise development and peace goals, through its promotion of respect, tolerance and unity and the contribution it makes to empowering women, young people and communities; and to health, education and social inclusion objectives. UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon describes sport as  “a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls, all the barriers … it is a powerful tool for progress and for development.”

Speaking on the resolution, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach stated that the resolution “reaffirms the universality of sport and its unifying power to foster peace, education, gender equality and sustainable development at large”.

Here at ISF, we’ve being advancing the power of sport to make a positive change in Cambodian society since our inception in 2006. We’ve seen first-hand how football acts as a form of social activity with the potential to:

• Convey core principles that are important in a democracy, such as tolerance, solidarity, co-operation and respect;
• Foster inclusion for individuals and populations otherwise marginalised by social, ethnic, cultural or religious barriers;
• Allow individuals to experience equality, freedom and empowerment.

References:

– UN Recognises Role of Sport in Achieving Sustainable Development – https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/12/1027531

– The Potential of Sport to Contribute to Social Development – http://sport4development.ie/us/