Sports Diplomacy
In today’s interconnected world, sports serve as a universal language that transcends borders and cultures, fostering mutual understanding and promoting peace. Today, the role of sports in diplomacy is more crucial than ever. Likewise, an era where digital and physical connectivity are at their peak, sports unite diverse global audiences through shared live experiences and real-time engagement, promoting inclusivity, and driving positive change. As states navigate the complexities of the 21st century, sports diplomacy stands out as a dynamic tool for building bridges, strengthening international ties and promoting national interests.
This webinar series will allow participants to explore the theoretical underpinnings of sports diplomacy, and the role of international governing bodies as key players in the sporting ecosystem. Likewise, participants will learn about the value of mega sporting events in global economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and public diplomacy. They will learn about the various stakeholders involved in sports diplomacy, including governments, sports federations, NGOs, and civil society, and analyse strategies for effectively engaging and supporting these actors as well as the role of mega-sporting events like the Asian Games, FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Objectives
During this free and open webinar series, participants will delve into the realms of sports diplomacy, sports and human rights, and city diplomacy through the lens of the Paris Olympics. Participants will explore the theoretical foundations of sports diplomacy, focusing on the roles of international governing bodies and the impact of mega sporting events on global economic, cultural, and public diplomacy. This series will highlight how mega-sporting events like the Asian Games, FIFA World Cup, and the Olympic Games serve as platforms for showcasing achievements, fostering goodwill, and projecting soft power.
Attendees will also learn about the intersection of sports and human rights, examining how sports can promote social justice and influence human rights outcomes. The Paris Olympics will serve as a case study for city diplomacy, providing insights into city branding and global influence. They will also learn about the stakeholders in sports diplomacy – governments, sports federations, NGOs, and civil society – and analyze strategies to engage and support them.
UNITAR’s Activities in Sports Diplomacy
At the heart of UNITAR’s activities in the field, UNITAR offers an Executive Diploma in Sports Diplomacy on a customized basis, providing comprehensive training on the intersection of sports, international law, diplomatic practice, and brand-building. This programmes includes three intensive workshops taking place over five days, covering Sports Diplomacy, Protocol and Etiquette in Mega-Sporting Events, and Key Skills for International Organisations, along with visits to key international sports organizations.
The first edition of the Executive Diploma in Sports Diplomacy was held in February 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland for participants from the Ministry of Sport and of National Olympic Paralympic Committee of Saudi Arabia, catering to professionals from various departments including the international relations, event management and communications among others. Building on the foundations of sports diplomacy, UNITAR also offers short workshops and training analysing how Sports can drive positive change towards Sustainable Development, Women’s Leadership, Human Rights and International Law.
If you would like to learn more about UNITAR’s customized training offerings in the field of sports diplomacy, reach out to diplomacy@unitar.org .
Leveraging Sporting Events to Strengthen Multilateralism
- 26 July 2024
- 4:00 p.m. CEST
- Panelist: Mr. Simon Rofe
The Role of Sports Diplomacy in Advancing Human Rights
- 9 August 2024
- 4:00 p.m. CEST
- Panelist: Mr. David Grevemberg
Sports and City Diplomacy: The Paris Olympic Games as a Case Study
- 23 August 2024
- 4:00 p.m. CEST
- Panelists: Dr. Kihlgren Grandi, Dr. Krasnoff, Ms. Yamada and Ms. Rowan.
UPCOMING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr J Simon Rofe is a world leading expert in Sports Diplomacy. One of the founders of the field, Simon currently serves as the special advisor to the United Kingdom’s Sports Diplomacy Working Group; a standing member of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) and was a member of LOCOG, the Organising Committee for the London Olympic Games in 2012. He has worked with numerous stakeholders from across the sporting and diplomatic realms offering education, training and consultancy, and is widely published including the foundation text: "Sport and Diplomacy: more than a Game"
Mr. David Grevemberg CBE is the Chief Innovation and Partnerships Officer at the Centre for Sport and Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, and is an independent sports advisor. He previously worked as CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation until April 2021, after his role as CEO of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Earlier, from 1999 to 2009, he was the Executive Director of Sport and International Federation Relations at the International Paralympic Committee in Bonn, Germany – and, amongst several responsibilities, oversaw the administration of IPC Alpine and Nordic Skiing disciplines. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Grevemberg was an international competitive wrestler and is now a competing masters-level Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. With a 29-year career in sports management, he has served as an athlete agent, team manager, coach, consultant, and board director for numerous charities. He has received several international recognitions, honours, and awards for his service to global sport.
Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi is the founding director of the City Diplomacy Lab and a lecturer in City Diplomacy at Sciences Po, École Polytechnique, and Columbia in Paris. He regularly advises international organizations, national governments, city networks, and municipalities on how to fully unfold the added value of city diplomacy. Author of City Diplomacy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), he holds a dual PhD in Political Theory from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS, Paris) and Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali (LUISS, Rome).
Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff is a globally-recognized sports diplomacy expert specializing in Franco-United States relations through sports. Author of Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA (Bloomsbury, 2023) and The Making of Les Bleus: Sport in France, 1958-2010 (Lexington Books, 2013), her work on global sports has appeared with outlets like TIME, CNN International, The Athletic, The Washington Post, The New Yorker. Outside her consulting practice, she directs the FranceAndUS project and is an Adjunct Instructor at New York University’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport. A veteran of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian, Krasnoff holds a B.A. from George Washington University; M.A. from NYU; PhD in History from The Graduate Center, City University of New York.
Ms. Etsuko Yamada serves as the Head of International Sport for Development at the Japan Sport Council, where she focuses on integrating Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) into national and local policies. She provides strategic recommendations to Japanese government entities to enhance the impact of SDP initiatives. Together with the Swiss Academy for Development (SA4D) and sportanddev, they developed the guidebook "Bridging the Divide in Sport and Sustainable Development: A Guide for Translating Policy into Practice and Effective Programme Management," which aims to build capacity for policymakers and practitioners in using sport as a tool for sustainable development. Additionally, she is a member of the supervisory committee evaluating the impact and legacy strategy for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Yamada worked as a Programme Officer at the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) in Geneva, where she promoted SDP policies and projects on a global scale.
Ms. Judith Rowan is the Global Host Cities Director at London sports consultancy Major Events International, specializing in international sports partnerships and events that maximize returns for host regions, sports federations, and rights holders. Her career began as the founder and editor of the award-winning Irish music magazine BBm before co-owning PLM Promotions, where she organized large-scale, multi-award-winning music festivals and concerts across Ireland.
Transitioning into sports with a Master’s Degree in International Event Management, Judith has contributed to major projects in Northern Ireland including the European Rally Championship, the Giro d’Italia Grand Fondo, UEFA Super Cup, and the UEFA Women's U19s Championship. Recently, she also played a key role in developing a cycling tourism strategy in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.