A day of celebration
THE International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development and to foster peace and understanding.
On 6 April 2020, International Olympic Committee and the whole Olympics movement joined the global effort to encourage everyone to be active and stay healthy at a time when the world is fighting an unprecedented health crisis, and when populations are being asked to stay at home to contain the spread of COVID-19. As part of IDSDP, Olympians and members of the Olympic family were invited to hold up a symbolic white card and share a photo of themselves doing so on social media using the hash tags #WhiteCard and #IDSDP2021.
“The white card acts as a unifying symbol for inclusion, equality and peace worldwide. By holding it up for International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Olympians demonstrate that sport can be an instrument for change throughout the world,” said Joël Bouzou OLY, World Olympians Association president and founder of Peace and Sport. The Voices of the Athletes Program which falls under the Athletes and Communities Engagement program (ACE) used former Fiji athletes known as champions to promote IDSDP’s white card campaign during various sporting events held over the Easter long weekend.
These champions included Joana Lesi (cricket), Selevasio Stino (gymnastics), Praneel Singh (billiards and snooker), Tessa Marie-Harman, Catherine Fabiano, Richard Eyre and Hector Smith (hockey), Marica Togeyali (volleyball), Anegha Narayan (tae kwon do), Annette Nainima, Naomi Waqanidrola, Laisani Mataele, Kinisimere Ravai and Sekoula Waqanidrola (football), Eugene Vollmer and Jone Bogidrau (athletics) advocated the white card campaign as a unifying symbol for inclusion, equality and peace worldwide.
The champions over the Easter weekend reached out to hockey, cricket, volleyball and Fiji Gujarati IDC football competition to raise awareness on Play True, Play Safe, Stay Healthy, Go Green and Be A Leader. Part of the outreach as well was to promote peace through sport by holding up a #WhiteCard to support and promote peace through the sport movement.
The IOC showed its support of the white card campaign by also encouraging members to join the #BeActive campaign.
Olympic athletes around the world have already shared some creative ideas and tips on how to stay fit and healthy on the IOC social media channels that include Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.
On April 6 and beyond, let’s #BeActive and united!