Sports and security

Illegal under al Shabab, football has made a huge comeback in Somalia, with Mogadishu's streets literally filling up with children each afternoon as they come out to play the game. Photo: UN Photo/ Tobin Jones
"Sports can help engage youth and reinforce communities’ resilience, which is key to prevent the spread of violent extremism conducive to terrorism"
-- Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, after signing an agreement with International Centre on Sport Security
Sports, development and peace
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Security Council resolution 2419 (2018) on Youth, Peace and Security recognizes the “growing contribution of sport and culture to the realization of development and peace in the promotion of tolerance and respect as well as the contributions sport and culture make to the empowerment of youth and women, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives".
Sports programme
UNOCT's Sports programme, the Global Programme on Security of Major Sports Events, and Promotion of Sports and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism, benefits law enforcement, police, public and private companies involved in organizing any sport events. The Programme's activities include the collection and dissemination of good practices, provision of technical assistance to Member States, the organization of a campaign with sport champions, and the promotion of international and regional cooperation. There will also be a component focusing on the security of major sporting events.
Programme launch
Watch the launch of the 'Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism' at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York.
Statements
Statement of Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov about Sports, development and peace:
- At the Group of Friends on Sports for Development and Peace
- At the High-Level Event Promoting the Power of Sport to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism
- At the launch of the UNOCT Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism (PVE)