IAAF - Peace and Sport Partnership Promotes Peace Culture

Monaco, 21 July, 2010 – Marking this Thursday’s meeting ‘Herculis 2010’ - Peace and Sport and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) today signed a global partnership agreement to implement joint programmes for peace-promotion and peace-building through sport in the world.

This partnership will strengthen the intervention capabilities of Peace and Sport, the international initiative that works to reconcile communities and encourage dialogue through sport. It will now benefit from the IAAF’s support, technical resources and expertise, so that concrete action can be taken to help thousands of young people in distress around the globe.

IAAF is already an expert in adapting the practice of track and field events to different cultural and social environments, especially those with a lack of facilities. This unique knowledge is implemented through educational kits used by its National Member Federations to promote peace-building and peace-education through sport.

The first IAAF-Peace and Sport joint operations have already been identified.

1) Programmes for education through sport will be organized in the Great Lakes region of Africa to work towards reconciliation and contribute to social cohesion in this region, which has undergone years of civil war and intense violence. With the support of famous athletes and National Athletics Federations, multidisciplinary sports activities will be put in place for young people and educate them to peace, using the core values of athletics: self-control, going beyond one’s limits, honesty and fair play.

2) Regular organization of Races for Peace in regions of the world where they are needed. These symbolic events in favour of peace are intended to bring together divided communities around sports activities. They help to promote dialogue and foster a culture of peace.

3) Support for ‘Sport Solidarity for Haiti'. The IAAF will donate 10 athletics kits and train 30 socio-sports educators as part of this operation. Launched by Peace and Sport four months ago, the program collects sports equipment and funds for Haitian youth. The sports equipment is used by the Haitian Olympic Committee to reinstate, through sport, a structured living environment for 50,000 Haitian children and teenagers living in survivor camps.

On Thursday 22 July, during ‘Herculis 2010’ which is a Samsung Diamond League meeting, the qualifying race for the 1000m junior girls (run n°22 scheduled at 5.15 pm) will be dedicated to solidarity with Haiti to encourage people to rally to the cause. The race will be placed under the sponsorship of triple World 800m champion and current World record holder Wilson Kipketer, also a Peace and Sport "Champion for Peace"

IAAF President, Lamine Diack, said: "Through this partnership with Peace and Sport, the IAAF reaffirms the social role of athletics and its determination to contribute actively to the development of the poorest communities in the world, promoting peace-education and a culture of peace."

Joel Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport, added: "Athletics has a natural tendency to serve peace: activities are varied, easy to implement and practice, without the need for expensive facilities, or even personal equipment. These inherent qualities make it an attractive and accessible sport for youngsters living in parts of the world where Peace and Sport operates. The values of athletics can also be a source of inspiration to them, as they often lack values, ideals and leadership. They are structuring principles of life that contribute to the emergence of sustainable peace. I am delighted to make this commitment with the IAAF, which will produce concrete results in the field for those in the most precarious situations."

For more information contact: press@peace-sport.org

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