SPORTS AS A BRIDGE BUILDER FOR CHANGE
The sports experience focused on the role of sport as a “bridge builder” for system change. Set in an open format, Martin Kaswurm, founder of Chaka2 Live Marketing, renowned for creating some the World’s biggest and most well-known sporting and entertainment events, led an open discussion with Kirsty Charlotte Burrows, Senior Manager of the Safe Sport Unit at the International Olympic Committee and Nasser A. Al-Khori, Executive Director and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The Sports experience collaboratively explored how sports can be used as a tool to promote social cohesion, inclusivity, and cross-cultural understanding. International sporting organisations have the power and ability to foster positive change, and there is importance and responsibility in using this platform to impact society, the economy, and culture in a forward moving and inclusive way.
💡 The #WSF2023 hosted its agenda around The System Change Foundation’s focal pillars for inspiring System Change and founder Rudi explains the potential of cultural and sporting events. “Sports & Entertainment have the power to evoke emotions in a universal unspoken language which is understood by all. If you watch, play, share about it; the excitement, unity and ‘humanness’ this intangible feeling creates, is like the voice and feeling needed to act for system change. With communication, we can harness collaboration to re-direct this emotion to inspire positive new future realities. Sports require bravery, courage, and commitment. So does taking the first steps and committing to changing global systems. We look to inspire thought and action amongst the leaders with the platform to create change.”
The spirit of the forum encouraged open questions and discussions. A big thank you to our program leaders Martin, Kirsty and Nasser for their openness in leading and answering all the questions of our attendees.
2023 will continue a focus on harnessing the power of Sports & Entertainment in inspiring thought and action towards system change.