Call for articles: Strengthening sport for development and peace in the Middle East and North Africa

Over the past decade, numerous national and international organisations have been implementing sport for development and peace (SDP) initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Some of these interventions respond to conflicts and humanitarian crises, such as the growing numbers of refugees and escalating violence in parts of the region. Such programmes and policies use sport to foster social cohesion and peacebuilding, among other things.

Many people, including coaches, teachers, youth, community leaders and children have been impacted by such initiatives at the personal and/or professional levels. Given these accomplishments and the complex set of interconnected global challenges, it is important to consider how the SDP sector can be adapted and strengthened in the MENA region

Contribute to our call for articles

Given the above, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev) have launched a public call for articles on this topic.

The partnership between QFFD and sportanddev seeks to strengthen the SDP sector in the MENA region. It has included providing information, tools and resources for actors in the region – including making sportanddev.org available in Arabic and also launching our global online course on sport for sustainable development in Arabic – so that more voices are heard.

We encourage submissions from all actors in sport for development and peace. We welcome community contributions and practical content as well as more academic or scientific reflections on a wide range of topics and questions, including:

1. How is sport being used to contribute to development and peace in the MENA region? You may wish to consider if sport has contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. How has sport for development changed lives in the MENA region, including those of young people? What can we learn from these successes?
3. How can we strengthen the role of sport for development in the MENA region?
4. What do international policymakers need to do to support the work of organisations in the MENA region? 
5. What is the future of sport and development in the MENA region?

These are simply guiding questions, and we welcome submissions on any topic relevant to strengthening sport and development in the MENA region. We prefer articles that focus on sharing knowledge, opinions and lessons learnt rather than project reports and press releases.

Article guidelines:

• Articles should be 300-750 words, but shorter or longer articles may be considered.
• Articles can be written in Arabic and/or English and/or French. Articles may be translated by sportanddev from one language into another.
• Include a relevant image in landscape (horizontal) orientation for which you own the copyright, or is subject to a Creative Commons license. Visit free stock image sites like Unsplash or Pexels to search for an appropriate image. Please avoid submitting blurry images, images containing text or images which are too small. If you do not have a picture, we will source one for you.
• Include a 1-2 sentence biography of you and any other author.
• Include links to and relevant social media accounts and/or organisational websites.

How do I submit an article?

Option 1: Using the webform

1. Register as a sportanddev user and log in.

2. Visit the Submit your Content page.

3. Select Article and paste your article content into the webform 

4. View the help video or guide blog post for help.

Option 2: Submit your content via email

Please submit your article or any queries you have to:

• Haneen Khatib ([email protected]) for articles in English and Arabic.
• Claire Smagghe ([email protected]) for articles in French.
• Accepted formats include Microsoft Word, a link to Google Docs and plain text in the body of the email. Please include your name (and organisation if applicable). 
• Please include a hi-res image with your submission. Don't have an image? Visit free stock image sites like Unsplash or Pexels to search for an appropriate image.

Deadline: 18 December 2024

Submit your article by 1 December 2024 for a chance to have it featured at a global webinar/event.

Photo credit: Kevin Blankenship / Equal Playing Field