United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is annually observed across the globe on April 6 to celebrate the role of sports and physical activity in our individual lives and communities across the globe.
- 6th April 2023 marks the observance of the 10th edition of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
The global theme for IDSDP 2023 is “Scoring for People and the Planet”.
- This theme broadly focuses on sport’s impact and influence on sustainable development and peace.
Background:
i. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/67/296 on 23rd August 2013 and proclaimed April 6 of every year as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
ii. The 1st ever IDSDP was observed on 6th April 2014.
Note: International Olympic Committee(IOC), in its capacity of Permanent Observer of the UN, proposed and supported this initiative to recognise sports organisations’ role in and contribution to social change and human development.
Why April 6?
The date of April 6 was declared as the IDSDP to create a historical link to the 1st modern Olympic Games in 1896.
- The Athens 1896 Olympic Games took place from 6 to 15 April 1896 in Athens, Greece.
Significance of IDSDP:
i. Individuals can improve physically and mentally through sports, which also encourages better health, increased illness resistance, social integration, gender equality, economic development, and international brotherhood, peace, and cooperation.
ii. Annually, the IDSDP highlights the aforementioned opportunities and inspires many individuals to engage in sports and create a positive world.
Event 2023:
i. The UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) organised the event with the collaboration of the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar and the Principality of Monaco to the UN in New York, United States of America (USA).
ii. The event for 2023 recognises the role of sport in addressing climate change, promoting gender equality, and tackling racism.
2023 #WhiteCard Campaign:
i. The Sports communities across the globe celebrate the IDSDP through the #WhiteCard Campaign. The #WhiteCard invites to promote peace, especially on IDSDP.
ii. This campaign was created by Peace and Sport, an independent organisation, that promotes the positive and constructive values of sport. It was created as a symbol in 2014 to represent the positive power of sport for peace and social inclusion.
About the United Nations (UN):
Secretary-General- António Guterres
Headquarters- New York, USA
Establishment- 1945
