PeacePlayers International’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Brendan Tuohey, has been selected to speak at this year’s Beyond Sport Summit in Philadelphia. Beyond Sport is a global organization that uses sport to promote, develop, and support positive social change across the world. The annual summit has become the largest gathering around sport and social change in the world, bringing together over 750 leaders in development, business, government, philanthropy to discuss how sport can be better used to address social issues. The Summit is diverse in terms of content, with sessions on key issues such as sustainability, youth leadership and social inclusion.
Brendan (Right) with brother Sean accepting the Laureus Sport for Good Award in St. Petersburg in 2008.
On September 10th – day 2 of the Summit – Brendan will participate in a session called ‘Beyond the Divide’, which is looking at sport’s role in peace-building, reducing ignorance, and educating different sides of ethnic, racial and religious divides. Brendan will be participating along side Oliver Percovich, founder of Skateistan, Ali Fahour, founder of AFL – Bachar Houli Islamic Program, and other practitioners using sports in unique ways to address faith-based or ethnic-based conflict.
The session fits into the overall Summit, which is a truly global gathering, attended by a high-profile, diverse delegation. In 2012, those who participated included: Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, football legend David Beckham, Rugby World Cup Champion Francois Pienaar, Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore, World Record Holder Bob Beamon, Multi-Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Johnson, British Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Multi-Olympic Gold Medalist Ian Thorpe, and World Champion Figure Skater Michelle Kwan.
“I’ve witnessed first-hand the power sport can have on communities and to see so many people in one room talking about they can use this power for good was a humbling moment. Beyond Sport can achieve great things.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Patron of Beyond Sport, speaking after the inaugural Summit in London.
PeacePlayers International has previously been honored by Beyond Sport when its Middle East and Cyprus programs were selected as a nominees for the 2012 and 2010 Beyond Sports Awards in the category of “Sports for Conflict Resolution.” Of nearly 350 applicants from 115 countries, PPI was one of 30 programs to make it to this phase.
We are looking forward to the opportunity to take part once again in such an important event in the world of sport. For more information on Beyond Sport, the Beyond Sport Summit and the Beyond Sport Awards, click here.
