International Day of Peace: investing in the educators who build peace through sport
On the International Day of Peace, 21 September 2026, held this year under the UN theme "Invest in Peace – for Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day", the organisation Peace and Sport put the spotlight on the people who make peace-building concrete: educators, coaches and community leaders working with children and young people.
Founded in 2007 by Olympic medallist Joël Bouzou, Peace and Sport uses sport as a tool to promote a culture of peace, especially in fragile environments where it can create safe and inclusive spaces. Its programmes teach respect, dialogue, cooperation and non-violent conflict resolution through games and training sessions.
According to the organisation, sport does not build peace by itself: it requires a clear educational purpose and trained facilitators. That is why it calls on public authorities, federations, clubs, athletes and the private sector to invest in those who lead these activities every day. In recent months, Peace and Sport partnered with the La Vuelta cycling race and took part in the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting.
The initiative connects directly with the idea that culture, art and sport can be spaces of encounter where differences are experienced as richness rather than threat.