The conference brought together ministers, sport organisations, private sector actors, top athletes, NGO officials, and other stakeholders to discuss and promote the role of sport and physical education in advancing global sustainable development.
Dr Sandford’s panel centred on "leveraging quality physical education and sport for sustainable social legacies." Along with Dr Sandford, other panel members included Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sport, Azerbaijan; Masahito Moriyama, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan; Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States; Royner Mora, Minister of Sport, Costa Rica; Ayanna Morgan, Athlete and PE teacher, Barbados, and Marie Barsacq, Director of Impact and Legacy, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Introductory remarks were provided by Gabriela Ramos, the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO.
The panel discussion was underpinned by the new report, Global State of Play - Report and Recommendations on Quality Physical Education, co-authored by Loughborough University and UNESCO, which supports policymakers and practitioners across the world to develop and implement more inclusive and effective quality physical education policies and programmes. Loughborough work on the report was undertaken under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair in Sport, Physical Activity and Education for Development.
Following the event, Dr Sandford stated: "Quality Physical Education (QPE) has a central role to play in supporting students’ holistic development; helping to foster active lifestyles, aid physical and mental health, and support the acquisition of valuable life skills. QPE has long been a focus for UNESCO and is now also a core element of their new sport-based flagship, Fit for Life. Given Loughborough’s long history in shaping global physical education research, policy and practice, it is fitting that we are continuing to contribute on the global stage."
Other panels at the conference focused on the social impact of sport, innovative investment in people, infrastructure and programmes, fighting racism and discrimination in sport, gender equality in sport, and safe and equal sport.
Also in attendance was Professor Richard Giulianotti, UNESCO Chair lead, whose attendance was supported by the UK Delegation to UNESCO; and Vladyslava Kravchenko, a Paralympian and alumna of the MSc programme on Sport Management, Politics and International Development, who will start a PhD at the Loughborough London campus later this year.