The Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World concluded with a significant impact, bringing together 68 organizations that confirmed 45 commitments aimed at using sport as a tool to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These initiatives, which will be developed over the next four years, will generate an estimated value of $200 million, consolidating the role of sport as a driver of social and economic change.
The event, organized by the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, was attended by more than 300 representatives from 100 organizations and 70 countries. On the final day, IOC President Thomas Bach emphasized that “what we have built together so far is only the beginning. Now is the time to take these efforts to new heights.” This collaborative approach was also shared by Kirsty Coventry, IOC President-elect: “This is just the beginning of an ever-growing village that will work together to achieve lasting change.”
A healthier and more inclusive society
An important part of the commitments made at the Olympism365 Summit focuses on building a healthier and more inclusive society. These initiatives include the expansion of the Olympic Values Education Programme to five additional territories by 2028, as well as the fourth edition of the Play for Equity programme, which promotes gender equality and justice for people with disabilities in the Pacific.
In addition, the expansion of the Volley4Change project, led by the International Volleyball Federation and its partners, was announced. It will be implemented in Vanuatu and other regions of the Pacific. These actions not only foster social cohesion, but also channel part of the $200 million committed to projects that integrate sport into urban planning and support vulnerable communities, such as refugees.
Safety, sustainability, and financing
The Olympism365 Summit also highlighted the importance of ensuring safer and more sustainable sporting environments. Among the commitments made, the IOC and the UN Spotlight Initiative will work together to combat violence against women and girls through sport. Likewise, the IOC and FIFA will collaborate to improve the physical and mental health of athletes, in addition to implementing technical tools to strengthen safety in sport.
Strengthening financing and innovation was another central theme of the Olympism365 Summit. Nineteen sports and development organizations adopted a shared measurement approach to assess the impact of more than 100 initiatives in 80 countries. This system will generate relevant and scalable data to improve the effectiveness of projects.
In addition, the Finance in Common Coalition launched an initiative to monitor the $10 billion investment target in sport and sustainable development announced during the Paris 2024 Summit. These actions seek to combine public, private, and philanthropic resources to maximize the impact of sport in communities, aligning with the $200 million committed in Lausanne.
See you in 2029
The Olympism365 Summit built on a decade of progress in recognizing sport as a driver of sustainable development, from its inclusion in the UN’s 2030 Agenda to the commitments made in the Olympic Agenda 2020+5. Summit participants were invited to meet again in 2029 to assess progress and continue strengthening the role of sport in solving global challenges.
