International Sports Day for Development and Peace

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is observed globally on 6 April each year. Declared by the United Nations, this day recognizes the role of sport in promoting social development, peace and inclusion. It highlights sport’s capacity to overcome barriers, reduce social exclusion, address inequalities based on gender, age and race, and strengthen social cohesion.

6 April was proclaimed as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 67/296 in 2013. The resolution emphasized sport’s contribution to education, health, social development and peace, and reflected the United Nations’ growing recognition of sport as a tool advancing human rights and the creation of equitable societies.^【1】

The General Assembly referred to previous resolutions and declarations addressing the Olympic ideal and sport’s contribution to peace and development, including those adopted between 1993 and 2012, the recognition of sport’s role in achieving development goals at the 2005 World Summit, and the 2011 promotion of physical activity for healthy living. The General Assembly also acknowledged the role of the International Olympic Committee in promoting sport for peace and healthy living, as well as the contribution of the International Paralympic Committee in transforming perceptions of sport for persons with disabilities.

The objective of the day is to highlight sport’s role in uniting communities and fostering positive change. It aims to create equal opportunities, break down stereotypes and strengthen inclusive societies.

UNESCO states that sport is an effective tool for social inclusion, gender equality and the empowerment of youth. Sport not only instills in individuals the values of fair play, teamwork and solidarity but also delivers broader social benefits. University sport assumes the responsibility of transmitting values such as solidarity, respect and self-transcendence to younger generations.

Sport plays a role in addressing social challenges such as social exclusion and inequalities based on gender, age and race. Initiatives such as the Paris 2024 Call, which seeks to improve access to sport and physical education for persons with disabilities, aim to strengthen this inclusivity. University sport has continued since 1923 as a field supporting principles of social cohesion and development.

Each year on 6 April, events are held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of the Principality of Monaco and the State of Qatar, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UN Department of Global Communications and UN Women. These events provide a platform for discussion on sport’s role in social inclusion, gender equality, elderly health and racial equity.

UNESCO, in partnership with national authorities and sport stakeholders, implements programs that support the transformation of sport into an instrument of social inclusion and equality. University sport and Paralympic events reinforce sport’s function as an agent of social inclusion and cohesion.