Peace and Sport Celebrates 10 Years in Monaco

(ATR) Sport Innovation for Social Transformation is the theme as the 10th edition of the Peace and Sport International Forum begins n the principality of Monaco.

Peace and Sport Founder Joel Bouzou welcomed Ivory Coast football legend Didier Drogba and German social businessman Hans Reitz during an opening press conference on Wednesday,

Bouzou emphasized the goals and objectives of Peace and Sport – using sport and its structuring values as tools to work towards sustainable peace in the world – as it enters its second decade.

"It is time to look for the future, filled with innovation, excitement and development," Bouzou said at the Sporting Monte-Carlo Hotel.

"How can we innovate – we will tackle future challenges and hope to bring sport to more people and bring the principles of friendship and respect to them."

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2006 Professor Muhammad Yunus and the four-time Premier League champion Drogba, who created the Didier Drogba Foundation in 2010, are the headline speakers at this year’s event. The guest speakers number 27 along with 40 athletes who are part of the "Champions for Peace" program.

"These three days will bring together all that helped us out through these ten years to discuss and debate practices so this Forum becomes more and more important," Bouzou said. "I urge everyone to talk with more focus than before and with more urgency than before. With so many global problems facing us, we have a fantastic tool in our hands that is more important than ever."

Under the high patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Peace and Sport was launched in 2007. Bouzou highlighted some of Peace and Sport’s contributions and accomplishments over its first decade, including the development of the Friendship Games in Africa, orchestrating a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian officials in 2007, uniting athletes from Pakistan and India in 2011, Russia and Ukraine in 2016, and most recently helping to stage a ladies ice hockey game between North Korea and South Korea in PyeongChang in April.

According to Bouzou, Peace and Sport has established 630 programs in 80 countries since its inception.

Bouzou thanked Drogba as the soccer legend’s foundation and Peace and Sport have agreed to become partners.

"Sport is something that brings people together – we want to share experiences, we all need that, sport is a driver," Drogba said. "It is an honor to share my experiences here."

"Many people are still in the streets in the Ivory Coast," Drogba said of his country. "If you bring them sport structures, they will be dream to become the next Ronaldo or Messi."

Drogba recounted how he and his Ivory Coast teammates were able to inspire a divided, war-torn country and facilitate positive change in the 2000’s.

"I had an impact on people and fans during my career and the Ivory Coast population during difficult times," Drogba said. "We went through a crisis in the Ivory Coast and I think we all were brought together by the desire to give something to others and share happiness. In those years, the two sides – the ethnic populations were not talking.

Drogba said that the 22-member Ivory Coast squad represented all ethnic populations in the African country. The footballer said the team coming together on and off the field to qualify for the 2006 World Cup united the troubled nation.

"We wanted to send a message to the Ivory Coast people and politicians to drop their weapons and find a solution," Drogba said. "Because so many people were suffering from war, I believe this message from my teammates and myself had an extremely important effect to bring peace back to my country. This shows the power of sport to bring peace."

Bouzou signed a MOU with Jordanian Olympic Committee secretary general Nasser Majali. The two parties are joining forces in developing a Refugee Camp in Jordan and also establishing programs along with the International Table Tennis Federation.

Notable speakers at the 2017 Forum include Tegla Loroupe – Manager of the Refugee Olympic Team, Irina Bokova, former secretary General of UNESCO, Jordi Cardoner – First VP of the Barcelona Football Club, Jorge Casimiro – president of the Nike Foundation and Nevana Vukasinovic – Vice Chairmna of ENGSO Youth.

The Sporting Monte-Carlo and Monte Carlo Bay are the venues for the 2017 edition, Dec. 6-8, which will once again include the traditional Peace and Sport Gala Awards on Thursday evening.

Nominees for the final Peace and Sport Award honoring the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year are: German company GIZ for the "Sport for Development" initiative, ASICS sports apprael with "A bright tomorrow through sport" initiative, and Brussels-based The Skateroom for using skateboarding as a hook into education.

‘Be Part of What Matters’ is the slogan for the ten-year anniversary Peace and Sport Forum.

Written by Brian Pinelli in Monaco.

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