Welcome to the United Nations
"Sport has the power to align our passion, energy and enthusiasm around a collective cause. And that is precisely when hope can be nurtured and trust can be regained. It is in our collective interest to harness the tremendous power of sport to help build a better and more sustainable future for all."
- UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed
Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sport
The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), which takes place annually on 6 April, presents an opportunity to recognize the positive role sport and physical activity play in communities and in people’s lives across the globe.
Sport has the power to change the world; it is a fundamental right and a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and promote sustainable development and peace, as well as solidarity and respect for all.
In recognition of sport’s broad influence, the global theme of IDSDP 2022 is, “Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sport,” which creates an opportunity for the Day’s celebrations to promote the use of sport as a tool to advance human rights and sustainable development. Under this theme, UN Headquarters in New York will recognize the role of sport in addressing the climate crisis and will highlight actions to lower greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate against climate change.
Sport is in a unique position to display leadership, to take responsibility for its carbon footprint, engage in a climate neutral journey, incentivize action beyond the sporting sector, and play a major role in amplifying awareness among its billions of spectators, facilitators and participants at all levels. With the need for urgent action growing more dire every day, the relationship between sport and climate must be better understood and ways of developing policies and taking concrete action to help reverse the impact of climate change through sport must be communicated to as wide an audience as possible.
Today, our world faces generational challenges, from poverty and hunger, to climate change to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, we need to overcome our differences and unite as one team working together to tackle these obstacles and create a safer, more peaceful, and more sustainable future for all.
#Sport4Climate - The Role of Sport in Combating Climate Change
With the need for urgent action growing more dire every day, the relationship between sport and climate must be better understood and ways of developing policies and taking concrete action to help reverse the impact of climate change through sport must be communicated to as wide an audience as possible. Watch the event on 6 April 2022 at 9:30 a.m. EDT on the UN YouTube Channel and UN Web TV for a virtual event hosted by UN Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming.
Event Details
Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Global Communications will host the event.
Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General will give welcome remarks.
Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Lead delivering a keynote speech State-of-play for the sporting world and climate change.
Vien Truong, Senior Director of Global Engagement for Sustainability at Nike delivers remarks.
CURATED CONVERSATIONS WITH SPORTS INDUSTRY LEADERS & ELITE WORLD-CLASS ATHLETES
Moderator: Tabitha Lipkin, Broadcast Journalist and NBCLX Evening Host
- Mihir Warty, Chief Strategy Officer, World Rugby
- Bodour Al Meer, Sustainability Director, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar
- Jessie Diggins, Olympic Gold-Medal Athlete & Protect Our Winters (POW) Board Member
- Boris Herrmann, Ocean Skipper, Team Malizia
- Tatyana McFadden, 20x Paralympic Medalist, 24x World Major Marathon winner
CURATED CONVERSATION ON THE INTERSECTION OF SPORT, GOVERNMENT & CLIMATE ACTION
Moderator: Robert Skinner, Chief of Partnerships and Global Engagement, United Nations Department of Global Communications
- H.E. Ms. Isabelle Picco, Permanent Representative of the Principality of Monaco to the United Nations
- H.E. Ms. Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations