Fifteen years have passed since the first Peace and Sport International Forum. More than twice the age of reason. Organised for the first time with discretion and uncertainty about its future, the event has now earned its place, not only within the international sporting movement, but also in the world of politics and diplomacy.
With just over two weeks to go until the 2024 edition, scheduled for 2 and 3 December in Monaco, Joël Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport, reflects on the Forum’s history and its development, but also on what the year 2024 represented for peace through sport.
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Fifteen years ago, at the time of the first Peace and Sport Forum, what did the idea and concept of peace through sport represent?
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Joël Bouzou : A dream. A conviction. A feeling. At the time, the potential was there, of course. Something was there, but nothing really organised. Some international sports leaders were already using sport as a tool for building peace, but most of them were doing it without even realising it.
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What has changed the most in the last fifteen years?
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Let me mention two. The first is the most obvious: peace through sport has become not only a reality, but also a family. The concept has gone beyond the pure framework of the sporting movement. It is understood and taken into account by peace stakeholders and governments. The other change, which is just as important, is that sport can now be measured as a tool for developing peace in the broadest sense of the term: self-esteem, dignity, respect for others, acceptance of difference. We have the indicators to measure all this. We know what we are doing. We can actually export it.
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What role have athletes played, and continue to play?
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A major role. Major and decisive. Their notoriety is global. They can speak to everyone, especially young people, with a different impact and resonance to that of decision-makers. Athletes are also the symbol of what equity in sport can actually achieve. On a sporting field, victory does not depend on wealth or birth. This gives considerable credibility to their voice.
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The rules of international sporting bodies are sometimes very strict. Is this not an obstacle to them expressing the values of peace through sport?
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They are less and less so. The IOC, in particular, is setting an example by relaxing its rules. It is not possible for an athlete to express a political opinion on the playing field, which is normal and justified, but they can now do so on the sidelines: in the mixed zone, for example, or on social networks. But the message must be a responsible one. At Peace and Sport, we try to support our Champions for Peace by giving them the tools not only to make their voices heard, but also to set up actions and launch initiatives.
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Was 2024 a good year for peace through sport?
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Yes, I think so. The Paris 2024 Games were a great success. They have demonstrated that sport can rally a country, France, where people are often very divided and struggle to live together. They were an extraordinary illustration of the power of sport to unite people. But I would have liked to see athletes from all countries being able to compete, without discrimination based on nationality. Participation in the Games should be based on merit, not on passports. The Olympic Village is an expression of diversity. Sport must remain above the fray.
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A symbolic Peace Walk will be one of the highlights of the Peace and Sport 2024 Forum. Why is it being organised this year in particular, in Monaco?
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We will be joined by champions and political figures. The Forum comes just a few months after the Paris 2024 Games. This is an excellent opportunity to bring all these stakeholders together so that they can walk side by side in complete neutrality. And it will be highly symbolic to do so in Monaco, a neutral state run by a sovereign who is a five-time Olympian.
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The 2023 Forum was organised in Saudi Arabia. Is this an illustration of Peace and Sport’s ambition to export its event on a regular basis?
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This shows the importance of our organisation on an international level. I’m quite proud that we’ve been able to organise this Forum 2023 in a country that’s changing rapidly, at all levels, where sport plays a major role in transforming society. We’ve already been to the United Arab Emirates and Rhodes. We’re going to continue along this path, in complete neutrality and independence.
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