The term “Sports diplomacy”, describes the use of sport as a means to influence diplomatic, social, and political relations[1]. Sports in this context may transcend cultural differences and bring people together or at least it is a possibility the European Commission...
Today, the Nobel Peace Prize winner was announced, the laureate went out to the National Dialogue Quarteta for their contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the 2011 Jasmine Revolution. Every year, the Nobel Peace Prize marks...
Last weekend saw IOC President Thomas Bach claim that sport is a “natural partner” when it comes to realizing the ambitious agenda that will guide global development over the next 15 years also known as the Sustainable Development Goals. Let me illustrate my...
Today, 193 world leaders will gather in New York for the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit to commit to the 17 Global Goals guiding the agenda of the United Nations for the next 15 years. These 17 goals, also called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),...
This Peace Day, 21 September marks the 14th annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, which was unanimously adopted by the member states of the United Nations in 2001. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, has said, “Sport is a world language, a common...
Beyond the recent tragic news, what I struggle with most is the fact that we have known the reality of a growing refugee crisis for years and that Europe could have been better prepared for it. The biggest tragedy I have found, however, is the attitude of...
Regardless of where I am in the world, the question I inevitably get asked when advocating for girls to have access to sport and personal development is, ‘But what about the boys?’ Although this should clearly be an AND, not an OR, conversation, my response is a...
On July 15th this year, with my fellow marathon runner John Kelai and Wilson Kipsang we started a Walk for Peace in Kenya. Our itinerary took us on a 22 day, 863 kilometre (520 miles) journey through the toughest area in the northern region in order to reach out to...
The Nobel Prize currently recognizes significant international contributions in categories of Peace, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics. The time has come to consider adding a new category – a Nobel Prize in Sport. Before dismissing the idea,...
Israel and Palestine are playing political soccer with Palestinian football as the ball. The stakes for Israel are far higher than for Palestine. Israel is effectively on probation as it seeks to definitively defeat Palestinian efforts to persuade world soccer body...
According to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), which governs track, female Indian sprinter Dutee Chand was only eligible to compete if her “male hormone” or testosterone level was lowered beneath the male range. Starting with 2012 London,...
Although I am currently in Kuala Lumpur for the IOC session, I feel the need to bring the attention back to Europe in order to highlight the event that is currently unfolding in Berlin, Germany. This week, Berlin is hosting the 14th edition of the European Maccabi...