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GRASSROOTS SPORT DIPLOMACY
Grassroots sport diplomacy is a new type of diplomacy, complementary to formal diplomacy, in which civil society actors play a key role. Sports diplomacy uses the power of sport to bring different cultures closer together and to build connections (non-governmental partnerships, SDG 17) between relevant actors (other grassroots sport organisations, States, IOs, NGOs, civil society, academia, individuals, etc.) around the world.
It can be defined as a set of practices, methods, and activities built on grassroots sport initiatives developed at a glocal scale. Grassroots sport diplomacy benefits from the cross-sectoral approach.
The Institute advocates for empowered grassroots sport and raises awareness of the societal role of grassroots sport in diplomacy.
What is Grassroots Sport ? Aims and objectives of grassroots sport diplomacy.
Grassroots sport is physical activity, not directly organized by states, practised regularly at non-professional level for social purposes. It also refers to activities and trends that exist outside traditional sporting venues, including global fan bases connected via technology, the integration of sports into urban planning, and the growth of diverse sports industries like eSports and adventure tourism. It also encompasses the reinvention of stadiums themselves as multi-use community hubs rather than single-purpose event spaces.
Although many concepts of sport diplomacy have been introduced, they dont reflect specific actions built around sport, such as those that promote societal development, or those carried out by grassroots sport organisations. In particular, using sport as a public diplomacy tool, much of that function relates to mega-sport events, professional sport and neglects to include the grassroots level, where the organizations, interventions and stakeholders are considered irrelevant for state-led public diplomacy.
Aims:
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Facilitating transfer of knowledge between the grassroots sport sector and relevant actors,
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Contributing to societal development in the health (health diplomacy) , cultural (cultural diplomacy) , educational (educational diplomacy), sports, and social fields.
