1. Confidential Document – non contractual – property of Peace and Sport
Peace and Sport
Regional Forum
23/24 April 2013
Dubai
Using message of sports as the great unifier
By Grégory Bolle Special to Gulf News

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Through increased power and influence over society, globalization has conferred a new
responsibility on big corporations, leading to major changes in the governance landscape. Today,
social responsibility is not the sole duty of heads of states or diplomats; global corporations have
become ‘world messengers’, which means corporate actors are increasingly playing a leadership
role in initiatives that used to be considered as exclusive to governments.
From eco-friendly and sustainability initiatives to local training and job creation activity, the realm
of action for CSR is getting wider. But as the Peace and Sport Forum held in Dubai shows, the
private sector can bring in meaningful contributions to foster societal stability.
Perhaps more than any other human activity, sport remains the widely accepted language
influencing and impacting hundreds of millions of people every day.
Already widely promoted within firms as a step towards strengthening internal relations between
co-workers, sports has naturally become a powerful tool to promote essential values of mutual
respect on a larger scale that goes beyond ethnic and social differences. If companies can
strengthen their internal relations through sport, then it should be possible to spread the same
across other areas and build bridges between unsettled communities.
Grégory Bolle

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In today’s corporate environment, a company’s commitment towards global society speaks louder
than anything else, and has a far more resounding legacy.
Peace and Sport is a neutral international organisation which promotes sport as a platform to build
bridges between communities and to institute sustainable peace and social cohesion. It is the
brainchild of the president of the World Olympians Association, the former pentathlon champion
Joel Bouzou and operates under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Advocating peace, fostering social stability, reconciliation and dialogue between communities
through the values of sport, is a challenge, but one with a payoff that already far exceeds the initial
human and financial investment.
The Peace and Sport initiative promotes locally-based projects within communities affected by
destitution, recent conflicts or lack of social cohesion. It aims to turn unsettled areas into sport
grounds.
“On the ground, sport’s universal language and values go beyond mere ethnic, cultural or social
differences,” said Grégory Bolle, advisor to the board of the Peace and Sport organization. “That is
what makes sport a powerful tool to build bridges between communities.
Grégory Bolle

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“Moreover, the advent of social media and the increasing development of globalization have raised
the concept of ‘soft diplomacy’, where we all can play a role and be actors for change. If you play
any kind of sports and if you have the will to be a player for change, then you can be a peace
advocate.”
The trend towards adopting the Peace and Sport model was confirmed on the local scene by
Emaar and Majid Al Futtaim Group. Both have contributed to spreading the message of peace
through sport by hosting different activities on their premises and through which they engaged
positively with thousands of Dubai-based citizens of various origins, nationalities and cultures
speaking the language of sport.
Grégory Bolle - The writer is the advisor to the board of Peace and Sport organization &
the strategic planning head for BPG I Group (Bates I Maxus I Possible)
Grégory Bolle

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Joel Bouzou, president and founder of Peace and Sport; Diego Maradona, ambassador, Dubai Sports Council; Elias Figueroa,
former Chilean soccer great and Pakistan player Kashif Siddiqi representing the Football for Peace initiative supporting the
Malala foundation. There will be a peace soccer match between the UAE and Pakistan on World Peace Day
KT photo by Rahul Gajjar
Grégory Bolle

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http://gulfnews.com/business/media-marketing/using-message-of-sports-as-the-great-unifier-1.1174517
Grégory Bolle

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ABOUT PEACE AND SPORT
Peace and Sport, L’Organisation pour la Paix par le Sport is a neutral international initiative. Created
in 2007, the organization is based in Monaco, under the High Patronage of HSH the Prince Albert II
of Monaco.
Peace and Sport puts sport and its structuring values at the heart of development projects led
within communities in crisis around the world. With missions in post-conflict zones, areas of
extreme poverty or lacking social cohesion, Peace and Sport makes sport a vehicle for tolerance,
respect, sharing and citizenship at the service of sustainable peace.
Supported by governments, world sport governing bodies, international organizations, major
international companies in the private sector and international sports champions, Peace and Sport
creates synergies between various different stakeholders.
Peace and Sport was founded by Joel Bouzou, current President of the organization. Mr. Bouzou is
Olympic medalist and World Champion of Modern Pentathlon. He is also President of the World
Olympians Association and Secretary General of the Union International de Pentathlon Moderne
(UIPM) and Advisor to H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.peace-sport.org

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ABOUT THE DUBAI SPORT COUNCIL
The Dubai Sport Council was founded on 30 November 2005 by Decree of the Vice President of the
UAE, the Prime Minister, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Governor of
Dubai.
Its objectives are:
- Develop and improve sport in Dubai
- Create comprehensive sports facilities that meet the requirements of society
- Prepare the ground so that young people can develop their sports abilities and cultural skills so
that they can perform at national, regional and international levels.
Our mission is to establish the ideal sports environment to make Dubai a world leader in sport.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.dubaisportscouncil.ae