Sports and PVE

UNOCT’s Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism leverages the universal appeal of sport as a powerful tool for preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism (PVE). By promoting values such as tolerance, respect, cooperation, and fairness, sport helps build individual resilience, foster inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, and strengthen social cohesion within communities.

The Programme’s efforts are underpinned by an approach which promotes human rights through sport, including the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and youth in sport-based initiatives.

Main Activities

  • Support to Member States in Integrating Sport into National Action Plans for PVE
Based on requests from Member States, the Programme supports their efforts to integrate sport into National PVE Action Plans by promoting inter-agency collaboration and whole-of-society approaches to policymaking. UNOCT enhances knowledge-sharing, fosters partnerships—including with civil society organizations, sports associations, and clubs—and advocates for the active engagement of youth as key actors.
  • Youth Consultation on Preventing Violent Extremism Through Sport

UNOCT organizes youth dialogues with decision-makers to ensure that youth voices are integrated into policies and practices which make use of sport for PVE. For example, the Programme co-organized the UN-African Union Youth Forum on The Role of Young People in the 13th African Games in Accra in November 2023.
  • Awareness-Raising Campaign on the Power of Sport

UNOCT’s #MoreThanAGame campaign was launched in partnership with the Generation Amazing Foundation, to highlight stories of professional athletes and young people whose lives have been positively changed through sport. Following its main activation during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the campaign continues to promote the role of sport for PVE.

  • Civil Society and Youth Empowerment through Sport
Between 2020-2023, the Global Sports Programme established a grant mechanism for civil society organizations to support the implementation of community-level projects on sports values for PVE, with a specific focus on youth-led organisations. From the start of the project activities to closure, the ten grantees implemented over trainings and other activities benefitting more than 9,500 participants.

Key Events:

3-4 Dec 2024Strengthening Security of Major Sporting Events: Preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Nairobi, Kenya
1-3 Oct 2024Harnessing the Power of Sports to Strengthen Social Cohesion and Community Resilience in Indonesia
27-29 May 2024UNOCT-NAUSS Symposium on Effective Management and Safeguarding of Major Sporting Events
12-15 Jan 2024Study Tour for African National Focal Points to Strengthen Major Sporting Event Security in Rome, Italy
30 Nov -1 Dec 2022UNOCT hosts Regional Forum for National Focal Points on Major Sporting Event Security in Africa
10-12 May 2022UNOCT hosts Regional Forum for National Focal Points on Major Sporting Event in Asia and the Pacific

Statements of Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov about Sport, development and peace:

Want to learn more about UNOCT’s impact? Hear the inspiring stories from young people impacted by the Global Sports Programme

More Than a Game: the Campaign

Publications

A Handbook for Organizers on Preventing Violent Extremism through Major Sporting Events

This Guide assists policymakers and other key sport stakeholders in the integration of sport-based initiatives into national strategies for preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

The Guide for Policymakers is available in: AR, CH, EN, FR, RU, SP

addendum_guide-gender_responsive_approach-sports_pve-cover.jpg

An addendum to this guide, “A Gender Responsive Approach for Sports-for-PVE Programming: Identifying the Gaps", was developed to assist in the identification of the existing gaps in gender-responsive approach to sports-for-PVE initiatives, is available here: EN

UNOCT’s E-Learning course on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport provides guidance for policymakers, practitioners, local authorities, international and regional organizations, the private sector, sports federations and associations, athletes, youth leaders, academic researchers, and civil society on how to integrate sport into strategies and National Action Plans to foster resiliency to violent extremism.

The course is available on UNOCT’s award-winning Connect & Learn platform.

Photo Gallery