The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), observed on April 6 each year, provides a chance to commemorate the important role that sport and physical exercise play in communities and people’s lives around the world.
In acknowledgement of sport’s broad significance, the global theme of IDSDP 2023 is “Scoring for People and the Planet”.
IDSDP emphasizes how effective sports are at uniting people and fostering change in society. Sports have a special capacity to break down boundaries and foster understanding between people from different cultures, beliefs, and origins.
It also emphasizes the significance of gender equality by encouraging women to participate in sports and offers them chances to develop their confidence, leadership abilities, and self-esteem.
Speaking in Abuja, the Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello has urged all organizations to promote peace building and development while acknowledging significance of this day.
“I am pleased to see sports being used not only to promote gender equality, but also as a unifier and a means of bringing people together regardless of color, ethnicity, religion, or tribe. Sports is a force for goodwill and progress, so I urge all governmental bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and communities, to apply sports as one of the tools they are using to foster peace and development,” says Arabinrin Ogunleye-Bello.
Speaking further, she said other sports should be accommodated and not just football, stating that although football is the most popular sport in Nigeria, there are other sports liked by many people which could be utilized to promote peace.
“Sports like yoga, tennis, basketball, cricket, badminton and any others, could be used to advocate for development, this however, could be determined by location, cultural beliefs of project beneficiaries. For the push of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sports is an important vehicle that must be considered,” she concluded.
The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace strives to raise awareness of the enormous potential that sports offer to significantly impact society and its celebrated on April 6, every year.
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