Dakar June 13, 2024

Peace and Sport and the Classico Foundation – Working together to strengthen athletes’ impact

Peace and Sport, “L’Organisation pour la Paix par le Sport”, and the Classico Foundation, a leader in the representation and career management of top-level athletes, are combining their expertise to support professional football players in their social commitments. This collaboration was officially launched in Dakar on June 11 and 12, as part of the “Friendship Games”, and was the occasion for Iliman Ndiaye, Senegalese international and striker for “Olympique de Marseille”, to be named Champion for Peace.

Peace and Sport and the Classico Foundation share a common vision: using the power of sport to generate positive change within communities. The aim of this partnership is to provide comprehensive mentoring for initiatives led by professional footballers represented by the Classico Foundation; from training to program implementation and evaluation.

 Joël Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport: “Through initiatives like the Friendship Games, we highlight the importance of sport as a tool for cohesion and education for Senegalese youth. With the approach of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, legacy issues become crucial to ensure a lasting and significant impact.”

 Jean-Jérôme Perrin-Mortier, CEO of Peace and Sport: “This partnership with the Classico Foundation marks a significant step forward in promoting the social commitment of professional soccer players. Since 2009, through the Champions for Peace Club, then the creation of the Socrates Award in partnership with l’Equipe Group, Peace and Sport has been working to demonstrate that top-level athletes, beyond their sporting achievements, can contribute to positive social change. We hope to create a real driving force for youth empowerment through sport, and inspire other athletes to get involved.” 

Friendship Games by Iliman Ndiaye – Inspiring Senegalese youth in the run-up to the Dakar 2026 YOG

For the launching event in Dakar, Iliman Ndiaye, star striker of the Senegalese national soccer team and Olympique de Marseille, will conclude his magnificent 2023-2024 season with two days of celebrations on the theme of friendship in his native neighborhoods of Cambèrene and HLM in Dakar. Organized in partnership with Peace and Sport, the Classico Foundation and the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Sénégalais, the event brought together over 500 young people from these Dakar neighborhoods around sports activities. Thanks to workshops run by the Senegalese National Olympic Academy, the youngsters were able to take part in a wide range of sporting disciplines including football, athletics and Taekwondo, as well as discovering Olympic values such as respect, friendship, inclusion and solidarity.

Emmanuel Madhot, Head of the Classico Foundation:

“It’s a real honor for the Foundation to support Iliman in his role as Champion for Peace. This event offers Senegalese youth a unique opportunity to talk with an international player who grew up in the same neighborhood as them, and who has succeeded thanks to sport. Iliman’s ambition is to share a privileged moment with young people wishing to follow a path similar to his own. The Foundation is proud to support this initiative, which represents a valuable opportunity to inspire and motivate young people through Iliman’s example.”

 Iliman Ndiaye – A Champion for Peace

The Champions for Peace Club is a collective of top-level athletes from all backgrounds, role models, heroes and sources of inspiration for young people around the world. The Club supports the actions of Peace and Sport on a daily basis, working to demonstrate that sport goes beyond performance and plays a genuine role in serving society.

Iliman Ndiaye’s nomination as Champion for Peace underlines his dedication to building educational programs for Senegalese youth. His inclusion in the Champions for Peace Club reflects his commitment to using his fame and influence to help build a culture of peace through sport.

Iliman Ndiaye, player for the Senegalese national soccer team and Olympique de Marseille:“I’m honored to be named Champion for Peace, it’s an important responsibility and I’m determined to work with Senegalese youth. Sport has the power to bring people together and teach essential values such as respect, friendship and solidarity. I hope this event will inspire young people to pursue their dreams and build a better future together.”

 About Peace and Sport

An international organisation placed under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Peace and Sport is aware that athletes are also citizens who can play a role in society. In 2009, Peace and Sport created the Champions for Peace Club, a group of over 120 athletes from some forty nationalities from all 5 continents. Role-models, heroes and a source of inspiration for young people throughout the world, they dedicate their time, their fame, and their athletic experience to serve projects which use sport to tackle social, economic and educational issues.

About Fondation Classico

The Classico Foundation is the result of an in-depth reflection on how the players Classico agency could implement community projects, whether of a social, educational or health nature. Drawing on its expertise and passion for sport, Classico wanted to create an in-house organisation to support players in their social and humanitarian commitments. The aim is to make it easier for them to carry out projects that are close to their hearts, and to show that they are much more than just top-level sportsmen and women, but real players in society.