The power of sport. For development.

The energy that elite sport can generate – both on and off the pitch – is currently in evidence at the UEFA European Men’s Football Championship. But millions of people all over the world are also invigorated by the power that comes from a shared participation in grassroots sport. It strengthens physical and mental fitness, fosters solidarity and builds character. And this energy is precisely the catalyst that drives sustainable development.

This fact was also highlighted at the Football for Sustainability Summit, which took place in Berlin on 11 and 12 July. Here, international experts from the political sphere, the world of sport, the private sector and scientific and academic communities discussed how sport can be used in development cooperation and how international sporting events can best be organised on a sustainable basis. The event was hosted by three German federal ministries – the Development Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection – in cooperation with the German Football Association (DFB) and UEFA. Managing Director Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven attended the summit on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. ‘For years, we have seen the positive impact sport can have in our work for sustainable development,’ she said. ‘We’re therefore especially pleased to be able to share this experience at the Football for Sustainability Summit, to bring it back to the Global North and strengthen our partnerships.’

GIZ has been using sport as an instrument for development on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development for more than ten years. During this time, GIZ has trained 10,000 trainers in over 50 countries and reached around 1.4 million children and young people. GIZ has not only established countless partnerships with governments, civil society organisations and sports associations, it has itself connected sports enthusiasts worldwide via its own online platform, the Global S4D Community.

From basketball for schoolchildren in Namibia, to volleyball for teenagers in Pakistan and football for young women in Mexico – sport connects people. And those who participate in a shared sporting activity come away feeling better about themselves and about their fellow human beings. But acquiring proficiency in a sport is not confined to the playing field. Participation in sport goes hand in hand with a period of reflection about the whole experience – and the invaluable lessons and new skill sets that will accompany young athletes in their everyday lives.