Prince Albert II joined the international organisation Peace and Sport at the Hôtel Metropole on 25th March for the launch of its annual WhiteCard campaign, which calls on people around the world to use sport as a tool for peace.
Around the world, 251 million children are currently out of school, cut off not only from education but from the skills and opportunities they need to develop. It is for that reason Peace and Sport is calling on athletes, institutions and the public to unite around the message that sport can help build more peaceful and inclusive societies, particularly for young people.
The event was held ahead of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and it kicks off a series of initiatives building towards the official global WhiteCard day on 6th April, when everyone is invited to share their White Card on social media.
Prince Albert II reaffirmed Monaco’s commitment to the cause. “The sport is a formidable lever for education, inclusion and dialogue between cultures,” he said, adding that the campaign reflects values close to Monaco such as “solidarity, respect and the construction of lasting peace.”
Joël Bouzou, the organisation’s founder and president added: “Peace is not decreed solely at international summits,” he said. “It is also built pragmatically on playing fields, where sport gives rise to ecosystems of micro-peace, founded on shared rules and mutual respect.”
Didier Drogba, Vice-President of Peace and Sport, also underlined the significance of the campaign. “The WhiteCard is not just a symbolic gesture: it is a commitment we share with the world. Every share helps spread a message of peace and inclusion, and shows that sport can unite and inspire.”
What’s coming up
Several initiatives will carry the campaign forward over the coming days and months. French professional rugby players, mobilised through Provale – the union of professional rugby players in France – will back the campaign. The Vuelta cycling race is also set to carry the campaign’s message, with its grand départ scheduled from 22nd to 23rd August.
Additionally, two of Peace and Sport’s Champions for Peace take the campaign to major international stages. Ivorian Olympic champion Cheick Sallah Cissé will speak at the ChangeNOW summit in Paris, while Franco-American skateboarder Julian Agliardi will address the United Nations in New York at a conference marking the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6th April.
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Main photo credit: Sarah Steck, Prince’s Palace