Sports Diplomacy
WHAT IS SPORTS DIPLOMACY?
Sports Diplomacy embraces universal passion for sports as a way to transcend linguistic and sociocultural differences and bring people together, while also recognizing the potential of sport to create positive impacts through teaching leadership, teamwork, and communication skills that benefit young people in the U.S. and abroad in all areas of their lives. It has emerged as an integral part of efforts to build ever-strengthening relations between the United States and other nations.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Each of our Sports Diplomacy exchanges has a theme related to Sport for Social Change, which is identified in collaboration with an in-country partner organization and the U.S. Embassy or Embassies. Typically, a delegation from the U.S. travels to the Latin American country for 7-14 days, and within the year, a group from the Latin American country or countries travels to the U.S. for 14 days. This format uses the connection of sport to promote dialogue and enhance cultural understanding among countries.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT?
These multi-country, multi-cultural exchanges are designed to equip a new generation of athletes and sports professionals in the U.S. and Latin America with skills to use sport as a tool to bolster cooperation, tolerance and respect for people from different backgrounds. The program offers opportunities for two-way cultural learning, while also providing space to build networks among professionals and peers. With a focus on underserved youth and their coaches and sports administrators, these exchanges are a part of the U.S. government’s efforts to reach out to youth populations in order to promote growth and stable democratic governments and to remove barriers and create a world in which people with disabilities and at-risk populations enjoy dignity and full inclusion.
CONTACT
For more information, contact Rachel Krach at rachel.krach@mso.umt.edu.
PAST PROGRAMS
Dominican Republic—Developing Leaders through Sport (taekwondo & basketball)
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras—At-Risk Youth Engagement through Basketball
Peru—Women’s Empowerment and Building Female Soccer
Colombia—Social Inclusion and Reconciliation through Baseball and Softball
Mexico—Engaging At-Risk Youth through Soccer
Chile—Engaging At-Risk Girls through Soccer