At a time when social and environmental challenges demand urgent and collective solutions, sport once again takes center stage on the international agenda. The Member States of the United Nations (UN) adopted a declaration aimed at strengthening the role of sport as a driver of sustainable development and social inclusion, committing to integrate it into their economic, social, and environmental policies. The measure, approved during the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, reflects a global consensus: sport not only entertains but also educates, unites, and transforms lives.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) took an active part in this initiative, reaffirming its commitment to building more equitable societies through sport. The joint declaration marks a new chapter in the relationship between Olympism and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the IOC, the mission is clear: to amplify the impact of sport beyond competition, recognizing its capacity to generate hope, belonging, and cohesion in communities facing inequality, conflict, and lack of opportunity.
Investing in sport, investing in people
During the side event “When Policy Meets the Field: Integrating Sport into Social Inclusion Agendas”, IOC President Kirsty Coventry made a direct appeal to world leaders: to move from recognition to action. In her message, she thanked Member States for their support and urged greater investment in sports programs, emphasizing that “investing in sport is investing in people: it is investing in potential, in belonging, and in hope.” Coventry recalled that every dollar invested in sport can generate between five and six dollars in social value, underscoring the power of this tool as a driver of sustainable development and collective well-being.
The meeting, co-organized by the IOC, brought together representatives from the UN, UN Women, Peace and Sport, and other organizations working toward inclusion. From different perspectives, participants agreed that sport can be a practical and accessible solution to the challenges of our time. Coventry highlighted that, in a global context of growing inequality, sport offers a tangible path to education, health, and the rebuilding of fractured communities. Through the Olympism365 strategy, the IOC promotes hundreds of initiatives in more than 180 countries, transforming Olympic values into actions that strengthen peace, equality, and youth development.
From Doha to the world: a renewed commitment to the 2030 Agenda
The new UN declaration represents a decisive step toward accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by explicitly recognizing the value of culture and sport as pillars of social cohesion. In the document, Member States commit to integrating both dimensions into their economic, social, and environmental development strategies, ensuring adequate and sustained public investment. This approach acknowledges that sport can act as a catalyst for more inclusive and resilient societies, where opportunities do not depend on origin, gender, or economic status.
Held from November 4 to 6 in Doha, the Second World Summit for Social Development commemorated three decades since the historic 1995 Copenhagen Summit, which laid the foundations for the global commitment to poverty eradication and social inclusion. Thirty years later, world leaders renewed that promise, aware that today’s world needs spaces that unite and inspire more than ever. In that shared purpose, sport stands as a universal language capable of inspiring action, resilience, and collective progress.
