United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace

En route to Brazil during the spring, the Olympic torch for the 2016 Summer Games stopped in Geneva.  The spirit of the Summer Games was touted at the United Nations Office during a special "Celebrating the Olympic Spirit" Program. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the Olympic Cup to the U.N., recognizing its continuing efforts to promote peace and sustainable development through friendly sport.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commented, "I sincerely thank you for this powerful recognition of the talented, dedicated and selfless women and men of our Organization...I thank all the United Nations bodies that are leveraging the power of sport. We are collaborating with athletes to inspire children. We are making the Games more green. We are joining forces to use this massive, global celebration of the human spirit as a reminder of our common humanity." (Source: https://www.un.org/sport/)

[Photo: www.un.org/sport/]

Within the U.N., its Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) promotes exchange of ideas, information and new partnerships to enhance education, health, development and peace. Youth may participate in Leadership Camps, learning to work on social and development projects benefiting their communities.

UNOSDP partnership examples include 1) strengthening access for girls to sport and promoting women's rights through the Tajikistan National Taekwondo Federation supported by U.N. Women, and 2) increasing disability sport and physical activity in Haiti through a partnership with BlazeSports, a non-governmental organization.  Other organizations working with the UNOSDP include International Paralympic Committee, International Judo Federation,  Gwangju Universiade 2015 Organizing Committee, International Volleyball Federation, Union of European Football Associations, SportAccord, Peace and Sport and Korean Air.

We look forward to recognition of sport and development projects by the UNOSDP during the Rio2016 Summer Games!