S4D co-organizes the "Football for Sustainability Summit" in Berlin

Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed the power of sport to move and connect people across Europe. This Sunday, the UEFA EURO 2024 ended after an exhilarating journey filled with team spirit and the forging of new friendships. This year's European Football Championship not only highlighted the continent's premier male football talents but also demonstrated a remarkable commitment to integrating sustainability into the very essence of major sporting events.  

The German Federal Government recognizes the immense potential of sports, particularly football, as a catalyst for sustainable development. Therefore, coinciding with the tournament, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), in collaboration with UEFA and DFB, invited experts from around the world to the “Football for Sustainability Summit” in Berlin last week. 

From July 11^th to 12^th, 2024, around 300 selected national and international stakeholders from the fields of football (for good), sports, politics, business, civil society and science from the Global North and South came together and discussed actionable solutions to foster sustainability in and through sport.  

The summit's agenda was structured to promote significant dialogue and initiate new collaborations. Participants were inspired through inputs by prominent speakers, such as Federal Minister Svenja Schulze (BMZ), State Secretary Juliane Seifert (BMI), GIZ Board Member Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Rémy Rioux (CEO of Agence Française de Développement), Maja Göpel (Scientists for Future), Decius Hikabwa Chipande (Coordinator of the African Union Sports Council), Charles Nyambe (President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Africa), Jürgen Dusel (Commissioner for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities) as well as representatives of UEFA, DFB and many more.  A special highlight was a video message from Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

In break-out sessions, participants dived into various dimensions of sustainability and discussed how to make football more diverse, how to foster gender equality and youth empowerment in and through sports, and how to scale Sport for Development initiatives through international collaboration. Participants also reflected on the challenges and potential of sustainability in sportswear supply chains, how to make major sporting events more sustainable, and more. The conference concluded with the German government, organizations, and companies pledging their support to advancing sustainability in and through sport. The German government pledged to continue fostering sustainable major sporting events, committed to cross-sector collaboration to amplify impact, mobilize resources, share expertise, and leverage networks to promote sustainable development and uphold democratic values through sports.