Sport, Peace, and Development

BC lorenzo de Burnaby , 15 février 2010

On February 12, I had the pleasure of going to the sport, Peace, and Development event at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. This event was a provocative dialogue with Olympic athletes who have used their celebrity to make a difference in the world, including Silken Laumann, Ben Rutledge, Beckie Scott, Adam Kreek, Anna Rice, and Nikki Stone. The moderator of the event was Professor Stephen Toope. He is the 12th president and Vice-Chancellor of UBC. The speakers of the dialogue were honourable Ida Chong, Wilfried Lemke, Stephen Lewis, Johann Koss, and Benjamin Nzobonankira. Here is what they had to say:

The honourable Ida Chong looked at all the young faces in the audience of the dialogue and said that they give her hope for a better future. She also said that the 2010 games can set a standard for the entire world. Wilfried Lemke recognizes the power of spirit. He said you shouldn’t always look at the gold around the neck, but the face the neck is on. Stephen Lewis said that ¼ of the human population lives in inhuman conditions. He also said that sports are having a big influence on the way they eat and take care of themselves. Sport has become a development mechanism. Johann Koss told us a story about when he was competing in the Olympics. His grandmother told him something he will never, ever forget. She told him that he can be whatever he wanted, and she believes in him. He became the world’s best speed skater. I think all kids need someone to say that to them. Benjamin Nzobonankira told us a story about his life. He needed to flee his home country because of the Rwandan genocide. He settled in a Muyovozi-Mtabila refugee camp, where he became involved in Right to Play. He trained in several programs as a task team manager. He felt normal again.

This dialogue helped me understand that sport is about so much more than just “fun and games”. It is about uniting humanity, hope and healing. The kids chose to play instead of pay.