Highlighting the significance of sport on IDSDP 2021

Sport is an important part of the holistic development of all people, to foster their physical, social and emotional health. More than just keeping us physically fit, sport teaches us important values, skills, and lessons that last for life. 

The power of sport is reflected in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, which notes that “sports empowers women, young people, individuals, and communities. It also contributes to health and education and enables social inclusion ”

The impact of the pandemic on physical activity

The lockdowns and closures due to the pandemic have created a state of uncertainty, for individuals and communities. This has led to higher levels of frustration, stress, anxiety, and fear. Many also noted that being stuck at home without a clear routine and with more responsibilities made it more difficult to organize their lives, leading to laziness and fatigue.

The pandemic also made it more difficult for people to engage in exercise and physical activity. Though some people were able to do home-based exercises to remain active and healthy, reports have shown an overall decrease in physical activity levels, due to the pandemic. 

Building back better with sport

Sport is an effective tool to advance sustainable development, build resilient societies, and promote inclusion, tolerance, and respect. Sport is a powerful instrument to regain ownership of bodies. It helps to rebuild lives and further develop skills that are transferable to the work environment. Furthermore, sports add a sense of meaning and purpose in expressing their talent and passion professionally. 

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is a great way to showcase how sport has helped the larger community, organizations, and individuals, to integrate with different groups and people, build soft skills, and contribute to the building of peaceful societies. As we build back from the pandemic, IDSDP is a good day to reflect on the importance of sport and physical activity in our lives and our response to the pandemic. 

To mark this year’s IDSDP, Pro Sport Development (PSD), an organization based in New Delhi, India, is organizing a recreational intra-office volleyball tournament, with partner organizations PRIA and the Martha Farrell Foundation. 

Through this tournament, PSD hopes to foster engagement with colleagues, fair play, and team spirit through a fun and engaging activity. Further, we hope that this tournament will allow all our colleagues, even those that do not play a lot of sports, to get a chance and try their hand at a new game.  

Engaging with the larger community

Given the restrictions on gatherings, PSD is also organizing an online challenge, to engage its program participants in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, and partners throughout the country and world. The ‘juggle the ball’ challenge is a fun way to get people to celebrate IDSDP and remind them to continue to remain active in whatever capacity they can. The challenge is simple and can be done with any object you have, ensuring that anyone can access and participate in this challenge. 

This IDSDP, as we begin to build back from the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage you to participate in our challenge and to remember that it is the values we learn from the sport that will help us come out of this pandemic stronger than before.