At a special event held at United Nations (UN) headquarters on the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called on governments, policy makers and UN leaders to invest in sport as a key tool for sustainable development. The IOC stressed the importance of including sport in discussions at the next World Summit on Social Development, to be held in Doha, Qatar, in November 2025.
During the event entitled “Advancing Social Inclusion through Sport: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development,” held on April 7 in New York, IOC Member and Permanent Observer to the UN Luis Alberto Moreno urged UN Member States and partners to harness the power of sport for social development.
“Sport alone cannot create development and peace. That is our collective responsibility. But sport can catalyze and support social development and inspire peace. That is why I call on all of you – governments, policymakers and UN leaders – to give sport a place in the discussions at the World Summit for Social Development, because we need it now more than ever,” said Moreno.
Sport in development strategies
Moreno stressed that sport should not be an afterthought, but a central pillar in strategies to build inclusive societies. “If we really want to build inclusive societies, we must ensure that sport is not an afterthought, but a central pillar of our strategies,” he added.
The event, co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Qatar and Monaco to the UN, together with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), brought together athletes, diplomats and UN officials to explore how sport can foster inclusion, address systemic inequalities and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Global commitments through sport
In recent years, governments have begun to prioritize sport-based initiatives. Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Sport for Sustainable Development Summit brought together heads of state and sport sector leaders, resulting in significant commitments to invest in sport as a development tool. Likewise, in February 2025, at the Finance in Common Summit (FICS) in Cape Town, development finance institutions agreed to support governments in using sport for development.
However, Moreno noted that sport remains an underutilized tool for social development. “This can change, and today there are more opportunities for governments to leverage sport as a low-cost, high-impact tool that can benefit everyone,” he said.
Paris 2024: an example of inclusion and sustainability
Moreno highlighted the unifying power of sport, especially in times of global division, and pointed to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as a prime example. “Athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees, as well as the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, competed fiercely against each other, but lived peacefully together in the Olympic Village. This is not only an inspiring story, it is a lesson for all of us,” he said.
Paris 2024 also marked a milestone as the first Games with gender parity on the field of play, demonstrating that equality in sport is an achievable reality. In addition, these Games highlighted the importance of sustainable and socially responsible sporting events, setting new standards for future global competitions.
The Olympism365 strategy and its global impact
The IOC has reinforced its commitment to the SDGs through its Olympism365 strategy, launched as part of the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 reforms. This strategy has enabled the IOC to reach tens of millions of people, improving their health and well-being, increasing access to education and creating more inclusive societies through sport.
Currently, the IOC supports 550 social impact programs and initiatives in 176 countries, working in partnership with UN agencies, funding institutions, civil society organizations and IOC youth leaders.
From June 3-5, Lausanne, Switzerland, will host the Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World. This event will bring together leaders from diverse sectors to share knowledge, celebrate progress and explore new opportunities to invest in sport as a tool for development.
