We don't know about you, but we've noticed an extra spring in our step! Each day, we're more and more energized by you, our community, and our amazing superheroes around the world who are using sport and education in innovative ways to make the world better, stronger, and more resilient.
We’re excited to share some of what’s fueled our passions over the last few weeks, helping to lift our spirits and inspire us anew. This month, we’re energized by a resounding theme that continues to inspire our team every day - Social Change is a Team Sport - and we’re so grateful to join sporty change-makers working all over the globe. Meet a few of these superheroes we’ve been working with lately and learn more about our joint initiative
On April 6, Dr. Sarah joined our sports diplomacy friends at the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (SOAS University of London) Dr. Lindsay Krasnoff and Dr. Simon Rofe, FIBA Foundation, Sport Connect Africa CEO Cynthia Mumbo, and former professional basketball player and Basketball Dreamers Association President Victor Samnick for a live Twitter Q&A on #BasketballForGood to celebrate International Day for Sport, Peace and Development.
It was heartening to exchange ways about how we’re each using sport, and basketball in this case, to address social issues in local communities, working across the various UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to make a difference, especially for youths. View the event recap via Twitter Moments here
Also on April 6, Dr. Sarah joined long-time friend, colleague, diplomat, Olympian, and all-around amazing human Mary Harvey, CEO of the Centre for Sports and Human Rights (CSHG), and Mohammed Hanzab, President of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), to discuss “Sports, Peace, and Human Rights” at the Sport Diplomacy and Cooperation for Peace and Development Forum hosted by the Instituto Matias Romero. Social change is a team sport and these superhero teammates help make the difference in using sport to create a more inclusive, equitable, and peaceful world!
On April 7, Dr. Sarah joined Eli Wolff, professional basketball player and founding CEO of WAKE, Batouly Camara, innovator and changemaker, Pharlone Toussaint of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, and co-editor of The Journal of Sport for Development, Richard Lost, for the University of Connecticut’s “Beyond the Field” series to discuss Sport for Development and Peace. As Dr. Sarah noted, “We are not in the business of sport, we’re in the business of entrepreneurship. It is all about social innovation.” Watch the panel here.
On April 23, Dr. C and Dr. Sarah joined CSPS alumna and Fulbright Scholar from the University of Arkansas, Olga Khokhryakova, for the official launch of SameSport.Arkansas, the first database of sports and activities for people with disabilities in Arkansas. The event, hosted by the Arkansas Global Changemakers initiative at the University of Arkansas and SameSport International, featured a panel on “Sports as a Tool for Social Change.” We’re grateful for the honor to support Olga, and so incredibly proud of what she’s created and launched into the world!! You can watch the event here
Although we are still unable to meet in person as we normally would, our fabulous U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program mentors and program partners continue to model how they lead through our virtual Office Hour Series. These hour-long, intimate conversations enable mentors to share personal stories of success, how they’ve overcome challenges, and offer advice and encouragement to our GSMP sisters and brothers. Such support is vital as they continue to lead the way for disability rights in their respective communities, harnessing their different superpowers to help innovate change
Our new Strong Women. Better World. podcast continues to be our travel portal. Each week, we join host Carole Ponchon from France (GSMP, 2017) and travel to different parts of the world to learn how women are fighting for gender equality through sports.
Tune into the adventure here, or listen on your favorite podcast platform: Spotify, Apple, or Google. And look out for fresh new episodes each Monday.
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