Diversity and inclusivity will be at the heart of the wide-ranging sport festival which is set to be one of the highlights of SportAccord in Beijing.
United through Diversity is the third festival under United Through Sports, which has become umbilically linked to the SportAccord Sport and Business Summit. Now in its third year, following a hugely memorable debut in Bangkok in 2018 and last year’s focus on youth in Gold Coast, Australia, the festival was designed to “put the sport into the accord,” according to UTS chief executive Julia Govinden.
Actively supported by the International Olympic Committee, the Global Association of International Sports Federations and a host of other sports and NGOs, the festival concept was inspired by Stefan Fox, vice-president of GAISF and president of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport, which has been granted patronage and highly praised by the IOC for its vision and mission in driving the project.
“From the outset, the idea was to integrate physical sport into SportAccord utilising the powerful platform to promote social responsibility and sport’s role in creating opportunity to change lives. To date, the two festivals have been great successes and proven the value they bring not only to SportAccord but to the community and to the public. Now we are all looking forward to bringing not only sports, but potentially novel sports to Beijing ensuring the region gets active,” said Govinden.
“Discussions over bringing a new layer to SportAccord began back in 2017 and were shaped by Stefan Fox’s vision. The inaugural festival event, alongside SportAccord in Bangkok the following year, tested the festival concept and provided a platform for over 50 sports. What was really impressive was the commitment of the international and national federations towards the project. This close communication and collaboration ensured that the event facilitated the evolution of sport in general to the region,” she explained.
Fox summed up the ethos ahead of the Bangkok event: “Sport is central to every culture and society; it is core to an individual’s health and happiness. I truly believe that, through sport, we have the power to change lives.”
And United Through Sports has a mission that goes far beyond creating sporting showcases. Working in collaboration with the International Federation Muay Thai Associations and the renowned Right to Play organisation, the focus in Bangkok was on refugee and migrant issues, something which Thailand and its people remain all to familiar with following the exodus of Rohingya Muslims from neighbouring Myanmar.
A group of refugee youth leaders played a major role in the event’s opening ceremony and several globally recognised athletes gave up their time to run workshops with these youths, providing and sharing tools for life to take back to their own communities.
In addition, partners Tissot assisted fundraising through a series of raffles, money which was invested in a sports facility in Bangkok and sport equipment for refugees in the Tak Province.
And, says Govinden, the impact didn’t end when SportAccord left the region. “Our aim is to leave a legacy, to start a fire that continues to burn bright,” she explained. “Last year, a year after SportAccord, we saw the Bangkok Urban Youth Tournament come to life featuring six different sports, all being played by youths from differing socio-economic backgrounds to promote friendship, fun and games. That’s an example of what can be achieved when we join resources.”
When Gold Coast hosted SportAccord 2019, the theme for the sports festival was United Through Youth, integrating the indigenous population in all elements of the festival activities.
In addition to live sports and entertainment events, the festival included Opening and Closing Conferences, with discussions and presentations drilling down into key issues facing young people in society and the important role sport can play to realistically address them.
“With many of the collaborators from Bangkok still on board, we added an entire layer of new educationally-focussed workshops with Australian Olympic athletes and renowned sports family figures, including IOC member HRH Prince Feisal taking the time to get up close and personal with the youth,” said Govinden.
Now she is firmly focussed on United Through Diversity in Beijing, which promises to build on the tremendous momentum which has been created.
“United Through Diversity is focused on enabling and encouraging people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of sport,” she said.
The festival will include some 70 sports across 10 different sports ‘zones’. It will focus on sports for people of different mental or physical abilities, as well as sport for older generations.
Another highlight of the programme will include a charity football tournament that will see some of the world’s sports leaders take to field. Teams will raise money through participation and funds raised will be donated to support a local project.
“There will be a whole range of sports activations in the festival many of which will demonstrate easy-to-approach activities. These will include activities for the mind as well as the physical.”
With IOC president Thomas Bach due to address the Opening Ceremony, to be held outside the iconic Birds Nest Olympic Stadium, the status of the event appears to have been cemented. “I have been delighted with the support we have received, it has been quite overwhelming,” said Govinden.
Bach eloquently summed up the ambition for United through Sports in a written introduction to the Bangkok event and his words remain as relevant today as they were then.
“It is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the power of sport to make a difference. In sport everyone is equal, no matter who you are or what your background is. The festival, with its focus on promoting physical activity for people from all walks of life, send the powerful message that sport can overcome all barriers. It is a tangible example of how our vision of making the world a better place through sport can become a reality.”