Dr. Ary S. Graça F., President of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), has been awarded with the 2024 Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Humanitarian Award. The award recognises his work in leveraging volleyball as a force for global development. Previous recipients include Bill Gates (2023) and His Holiness the Dalai Lama (2017). SportsIn has had the opportunity to chat with him after such an important recognition on a personal level and for the sport for which he works every day.
The recent collaboration between the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, KIIT and KISS has resulted in a new Guinness World Record and engaged over 40,000 children. How do these achievements reflect the Foundation’s and FIVB’s mission to promote volleyball globally?
The collaboration between the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, KIIT and KISS was our mission – to connect, serve and inspire global communities through volleyball to improve societies – in action. Seeing over 40,000 people involved in the event and a Guinness World Record broken was a moment of immense pride for all of us. To witness so many participants coming together for the love of the sport, and to see the smiling faces and the sense of unity was truly special. I hope that through our initiatives, we can see this many more times in the future!
NOT ONLY A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
The partnership with KISS, which emphasises providing sport and education support for communities around the world is a great initiative. How do you see volleyball continuing to contribute to educational and social development worldwide?
I passionately believe that volleyball is more than just a sport; it is a powerful tool for inclusivity, opportunity and empowerment. By partnering with institutions such as KISS and KIIT, volleyball can continue to help to build life skills, confidence and a sense of belonging, especially within marginalised communities. During our recent visit to India, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with KISS and KIIT, collectively committing to providing opportunities for young people through sport and education.
Education is a key element of all Volleyball Foundation projects. At the Githurai Kimbo Volleyball Academy for example, its influence extends well beyond the volleyball court. Several beneficiaries of the academy have not only been able to play volleyball and form life-long friendships, but they have also secured educational scholarships and expanded their professional opportunities. With the Foundation’s help, the academy aims to expand its impact through initiatives including (but not limited to!) player-led environmental projects and partnerships with educational institutions.
How is the Foundation planning to expand its outreach and support?
We have very ambitious and long-term plans to expand the Foundation’s outreach and support in the coming years. The success of our projects such as the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) and the Githurai Kimbo Volleyball Academy, alongside impactful activations we have run with the Volleyball Experiences at Paris 2024 and mass participation events in both India and Thailand, have truly shown the potential for the Volleyball Foundation to make a real, positive difference.
Seeing the incredible impact of all of this work has only inspired us to work even harder so that we can serve the world through volleyball. In conjunction with opening applications for projects on our website, we ensure that we are raising awareness of the Volleyball Foundation’s work, and encouraging members of the global Volleyball Family and the broader community to submit projects that align with our goals, so that we can connect, serve and inspire.
THE VOLLEYBALL GROWTH
With volleyball’s growing popularity worldwide, how does the FIVB plan to sustain this momentum at both the grassroots and elite level across the world?
Our sport really is on a trajectory of growth, just look at our competitions during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, they were electric! Sustaining this momentum ultimately requires a multi-faceted approach. At the elite level, we have the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment and Development programmes, which aim to equip athletes and teams with the resources and knowledge to reach their full potential. Since 2017, we have invested over CHF 33 million through 1,169 projects in 201 countries, and this is ever-growing. At the grassroots level, the FIVB is a founding partner of the Volleyball Foundation, which is focused on mass participation and using the global reach and power of volleyball to support community projects worldwide that have a positive impact.
As your tenure as FIVB President comes to an end, what legacy do you hope to leave behind in both the sport, and its role in providing opportunities? What will be your driving factors as you continue your role as the Volleyball Foundation President?
As my term as FIVB President comes to an end, I hope my legacy is one of innovation and opportunity, as I promised when I was elected in 2012. Together with the global Volleyball Family, we have transformed the reality of our sport. In a world that is torn apart by conflicts and division, I hope that I have helped to develop a united community around a sport that opens doors for people, providing chances for personal and communal growth.
In my ongoing role as the Volleyball Foundation President, my focus will be on ensuring that everything we do is working towards our vision of a greater world shaped by volleyball. We want to support more incredible projects around the world that are providing joy and a sense of community for people, while bridging educational and social gaps. Volleyball has been, and continues to be, such a huge part of my life and it has brought me so many good things. It is the joy of my life to help provide opportunities through volleyball for others too.
HIS FIRST MEMORY OF VOLLEYBALL
What is the first memory you have of volleyball?
When I was younger, I used to participate in athletics in the Fluminense club in Brazil. Every Sunday afternoon, there was a lively celebration in Botafogo the neighbouring club. I used to climb the wall to join in. I then started playing volleyball for Botafogo, and I was given a membership card, so I didn’t have to climb the wall anymore!
What are you most proud of having done for volleyball?
One of the things I am most proud of is how we have used volleyball as a platform to inspire people. From creating programmes that support athletes at the elite level to the creation of new flagship competitions or introducing the sport to children for the first time, I am proud that volleyball has become a beacon of hope and opportunity for many people around the world, including our global community of 800 million. Watching the sport grow and seeing how it unites people is incredibly fulfilling. We truly are one global family.
After this cycle, what will your day-to-day life be like at the head of the Foundation? We imagine that with more free time?
I won’t have more free time but that is the way I like it! I will be deeply involved in serving the world through volleyball through the Foundation. I will be working with our partners, our ambassadors, and our chosen projects to ensure fundraising, resource provision, project implementation and impact assessment are all operating smoothly and that we are fulfilling our mission to connect, serve and inspire global communities through volleyball to improve societies.
When you are not thinking about volleyball, what do you like to do?
Outside of volleyball, I’m involved in finance and oversee several personal investments in the hotel and real estate sectors. Family is incredibly important to me, and I really cherish spending time with my three daughters and eight grandchildren.
