Advancing the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals through Sport

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UN Habitat are collaborating to mainstream sport, physical activity and active recreation in urban development processes and the SDG localization agenda. By bringing together UN-Habitat’s SDG Cities Global Initiative and the IOC’s Olympism365 Strategy, the role of sport as a tool for inclusive sustainable development in cities is being strengthened, and health, social inclusion and environmental outcomes in urban areas are being accelerated. 

​​​​​​Aligning with the dialogue theme “Stronger Together”, this side event “Advancing SDG Localisation through Sport” will share insight, learning and partnership opportunities being generated through this new collaboration between the IOC and UN Habitat on harnessing sport as a driver of effective SDG localisation.

Applying the collective action approach, this joint initiative will be rolled out at two levels: a) working directly with cities and communities on project implementation and localised institutional capacity building; and b) working nationally and globally to support knowledge exchange, policy development and resource mobilisation.​​ In doing so, engagement across diverse stakeholders will be facilitated, including but not limited to intergovernmental organisations, development financing, international sport stakeholders, municipal authorities, national sport authorities and National Olympic Committees, as well as civil society organisations.

Building on the learning from early adopter cities of the UN Habitat – IOC Sport and SDG Cities Initiative and their insights, this session will explore both the value proposition of integrating sport and physical activity metrics into cities’ analysis and planning tools; capacity-building and training for municipal authorities and sporting bodies on deploying sport as a tool for sustainable development; seed funding urban sports infrastructure and inclusive sport participation programmes; and, utilising concessional, blended and impact orientated investment tools to scale access to sport, physical activity and active recreation as a tool for sustainable development.

The event will include a direct call to action and promotion of opportunities for cities to access guidelines, technical tools and technical assistance on mainstreaming and investing in sport, physical activity and active recreation infrastructure and programming as a tool for sustainable development.

With its particular focus on mainstreaming sport, physical activity and active recreation in SDG localisation, the Initiative and the Side Event discussion will target to accelerate the achievement of SDG 3 on good health and wellbeing, SDG 11 on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe and resilient, SDG 10 on reducing inequalities within and among countries, as well as SDG 17 on revitalizing global partnership for sustainable development.