IDSDP 2017: A look at the worldwide media coverage

The fourth edition of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) was celebrated on 6 April. Here is a glimpse at this year’s media coverage.

Proclaimed in 2013 by the UN, IDSDP celebrates the contribution of sport to education, human development, health, equality and peace building. Each year, this day is a chance for the sport and development community to recall that sport is a high-impact tool in humanitarian, development and social issues.

As in previous years, IDSDP was most visible on social media. “Sport and Development heavyweights” such as Peace and Sport and the UNOSDP ensured visibility by using #IDSDP, #IDSDP2017, #April6 and sharing digital campaigns. Peace and Sport’s #WhiteCard reached 43 million people, making 2017 its most successful IDSDP campaign year to date. Photo actions and profile pictures flooded Facebook and IDSDP had its first theme song, produced by Poovan media: “We play together”.

Many events also took place across the world. They were conducted at national, regional and local level and relayed through various media.

Coverage of IDSDP

6 April was featured by a variety of media outlets, including:

Most of these media outlets reported on events to celebrate IDSDP and promote sport’s potential in human and sustainable development. EMTV in Papua New Guinea and the Latin American conglomerate TeleSur mentioned IDSDP, as well as important newspapers like El Mundo (Spain) and Der Spiegel (Germany). In French-speaking Africa, many countries encourage sport as a tool for economic development, diplomacy and peace. IDSDP coverage from Senegal and Morocco echoed this trend.

In Latin America, Colombian newspaper El Universal talked about athletes’ role in promoting sport for peace. Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, shared her viewpoint about sport’s contribution to development, peace, social empowerment, health and gender equality in the Nicaraguan national daily El Nuevo Diario.

In Argentina, the former rugby player, founder and president of “Rugby sin fronteras” – who was named “Messenger of Peace” by Pope Benedict XVI – was the main guest of the conference “Be a victim or be in control of your own life”. Mexico presented the most IDSDP coverage in Latin America (found on TV channels and in daily newspapers). Among them, La Prensa provided a forum for the National Commission of Human Rights, which highlighted the fundamental impact of sport on sustainable development.

In the international English-speaking press, The Himalayan Times argued that sport is the best tool to unifying people. In Gulf News, the Dubai Sport Council reiterated its support of IDSDP while The Canberra Times seized the opportunity to talk about the inclusion of transgender people in sport.

IDSDP is a chance to raise awareness about the benefits of sport and to show that the sport and development community’s results are day-to-day work. The sportanddev.org Operating Team hopes you had a happy IDSDP – save the date for next year.

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