Inspira podcast: Episode 13 - Gabriel Mayr (Brazil)

Erika Mueller Chen speaks to Gabriel Mayr about his experiences founding a Brazilian NGO that serves individuals with disabilities, how technology can be used to improve accessibility, and bridging South-North relationships in Sport for Development.

About Inspira

Launched in January 2023, the Inspira Podcast with Erika Mueller Chen is an interview-based podcast that provides career advice and stories from global change-makers in Sport for Development, Social Impact, and the Diplomatic Service. In 2023, 50 interviews with inspirational leaders working in Sport for Development and Peace from over 35 different countries will be published.

About the Episode Guest

Gabriel Mayr is a Brazilian Physical Education teacher who has worked in Sport for Development and Peace since the first year of university. Working with the Rio de Janeiro blind soccer team introduced him to Paralympic sports. He ultimately went on to co-found Urece Sport and Culture for the Blind, an NGO that promoted several pioneer projects in Brazil, such as the first female blind soccer team and the audio descriptive commentary at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Gabriel has worked as a volunteer in England, earned the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Adapted Physical Activity in Belgium and Czechia, and worked at the UNESCO Chair in Tralee, Ireland. He was also selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State Sports Diplomacy Division’s Global Sports Mentoring Program. These experiences gave him the knowledge of international human rights pacts and documents. Returning to Brazil, Gabriel became a consultant in SDP, supporting organizations that seek to strengthen their use of sport as a tool for social change.

Listen to Episode 13: Gabriel Mayr (Brazil) - How can we bridge the Global South and Global North power dynamics in Sport for Development?

Learn More

To learn more about the Inspira Podcast, read episode transcripts, and access “Erika’s Global Resource Hub” - a robust written resource created to support folks interested in Sport for Development and Peace, please visit Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen.

Erika Mueller Chen is an international development specialist with over a decade of experience leveraging the amazing power of sport to promote peace and positive social impact. She currently works in Sports Diplomacy and resides in Mexico.