Celebrated today (6 April), the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is an opportunity to showcase the role of sport to drive social change.
Today (6 April) marks the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), a global celebration recognising the power of sport in advancing social change, equality and peace.
As a team sport built on solidarity, rugby has the capacity to break down barriers and bring people together, and its values are perfectly aligned with supporting one of the United Nations’ key objectives.
ChildFund Rugby's Pass It Back and Rugby Rising Play are examples of some of the ongoing work World Rugby have been doing in Sport for Development and Social Impact since the IDDSDP was launched just over a decade ago in 2015, while the federation's membership of the Sport for Refugee Coalition has been reaffirmed.
Pass It Back supports children and youth through rugby and life skills learning, helping them build skills, inspire social change, and become leaders in their communities, and at the last count, 26 member unions had engaged with the project.
Rugby Rising Play is focused on promoting girls' participation in the sport, while Sport for Refugee Coalition uses rugby as a vehicle for supporting vulnerable displaced people and the communities they have found themselves living in.
Due to conflict, instability, or exclusion, the Peace and Sport organisation report that 251 million children worldwide are currently unable to access education. In a bid to change that, Peace and Sport have called on the international sporting community to raise a white card, as a symbol of peace, and Provale, the French rugby players' union, were only too happy to pick up the ball and run with it.
Former France men’s national captain, Gaël Fickou, and fellow internationals, Lénaïg Corson, Gaël Fickou, Yacouba Camara, Antoine Zeghdar, and Romane Ménager have answered Provale's call to be the public face of #WhiteCard. The players will actively participate in the several initiatives that have been planned throughout the year to deliver the message that sport can be a powerful vehicle for positive change.
Malik Hamadache, President of Provale, said: “Rugby players embody strong values of respect, solidarity, and responsibility. By joining the #WhiteCard campaign alongside Peace and Sport, they remind us that sports can play a tangible role in bringing people together and instilling essential values in younger generations. It is also a way to demonstrate that athletes’ commitment can help build a more peaceful and inclusive society.”
World Rugby member unions can access the #WhiteCard 2026 campaign toolkit which can be found here.
