How can sport teach important values and life skills. What are the benefits of Values Education through Sport programs. How can educators implement sport-based values education effectively. Why is values-based sport crucial for youth development.
The Importance of Values Education in Modern Society
In today’s rapidly changing world, education systems are increasingly recognizing the critical role that values and social skills play in addressing global challenges. From rising rates of physical inactivity and obesity to unemployment and societal conflicts, many of the issues facing humanity require more than just academic knowledge to solve. This realization has led to a shift in educational priorities, with a greater emphasis being placed on holistic development and character-building.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education highlights this shift, advocating for inclusive lifelong learning opportunities and innovative content delivery methods. One particularly promising approach that has emerged is the use of sport as a vehicle for teaching important values and life skills.
Understanding Sport Values and Their Impact
Sport has a unique ability to impart crucial values that are essential for personal growth and societal harmony. But what exactly are these sport values?
- Fairness
- Teamwork
- Equality
- Discipline
- Inclusion
- Perseverance
- Respect
These values form the foundation of what’s often referred to as the “spirit of sport.” They provide a universal framework for learning that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, contributing to the development of soft skills needed for responsible citizenship in our increasingly interconnected world.
The Transformative Power of Sport
Why is sport so effective at teaching these values? The answer lies in its inherently engaging and experiential nature. Through participation in sports, individuals are placed in situations that naturally call for the application of these values. For example:
- Teamwork is fostered through collaborative gameplay
- Discipline is developed through consistent training and practice
- Respect is learned through interactions with teammates, opponents, and officials
- Perseverance is cultivated through facing and overcoming challenges
This hands-on approach to learning makes the lessons more tangible and memorable than traditional classroom instruction alone.
Exploring Values Education through Sport (VETS) Programs
Values Education through Sport (VETS) programs offer a structured approach to harnessing the power of sport for character development. These innovative educational initiatives are designed to complement traditional academic curricula, providing students with opportunities for active learning and the development of essential life skills.
Key Features of VETS Programs
What sets VETS programs apart from standard physical education classes? Several key characteristics define these initiatives:
- Active Learning: Students are engaged in hands-on activities that reinforce values through practical application.
- Cross-Curricular Integration: VETS programs can be seamlessly incorporated into various subjects, from physical education to civic studies and even arts classes.
- Increasing Responsibility: As students progress, they are given more autonomy and accountability, fostering leadership skills and self-reliance.
- Enhanced Concentration and Participation: The engaging nature of sport-based activities naturally increases student focus and involvement.
- Real-World Application: VETS programs emphasize the transfer of learned values to situations outside the school environment.
Benefits of VETS Programs
The implementation of VETS programs can yield numerous benefits for students, schools, and communities. Some of the most significant advantages include:
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
- Promotion of active and healthy lifestyle choices
- Enhanced understanding of rights and responsibilities
- Development of critical thinking and decision-making skills
- Increased empathy and respect for diversity
- Stronger sense of community engagement
These outcomes contribute to a smoother transition into adulthood, equipping young people with the tools they need to navigate complex social situations and make positive contributions to society.
UNESCO’s Initiatives in Promoting Sport Values Education
Recognizing the potential of sport as an educational tool, UNESCO has taken a leading role in developing and promoting resources for values-based sport education. These initiatives aim to support educators, policymakers, and community leaders in implementing effective VETS programs.
UNESCO’s Educational Resources
What resources has UNESCO created to promote sport values education? The organization has developed a range of multimedia tools, including:
- An animated video (available with French subtitles)
- A bilingual photo book (English-French and English-Portuguese versions)
- An advocacy infographic (available in multiple languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, and Russian)
These resources serve to illustrate the benefits of sport values education across different cultural contexts, making the concept accessible to a global audience.
The Sport Values Education Partnership
To further advance the cause of values-based sport education, UNESCO has forged partnerships with several prominent international organizations. This collaborative effort, known as the Sport Values Education Partnership, brings together the expertise of:
- International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE)
- International Fair Play Committee (IFPC)
- International Olympic Committee (IOC)
- International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
The partnership’s primary goal is to integrate sports values across school-based curricula, ensuring that these important lessons reach as many young people as possible.
The “Sport values in every classroom” Toolkit
One of the most significant outcomes of the Sport Values Education Partnership is the development of a comprehensive toolkit for teachers. Titled “Sport values in every classroom: teaching respect, equity and inclusion to 8-12 year-old students,” this resource provides educators with practical guidance on instilling important values through engaging activities.
The toolkit is designed to be accessible and adaptable, available in English, French, and Spanish to cater to a diverse global audience. By providing concrete lesson plans and activity ideas, it empowers teachers to confidently incorporate values education into their daily practice.
Creating an Effective Values-Based Sporting Environment
While the concept of values-based sport is widely discussed and promoted, implementing it effectively can be challenging. Many professional sports teams and organizations invest significant resources in developing values statements and team trademarks, yet still struggle with issues such as unprofessional behavior, substance abuse, and misconduct.
So how can we create a truly effective values-based sporting environment? The key lies in moving beyond mere words to lived experiences.
The Limitations of Traditional Approaches
Typically, organizations attempt to establish values by bringing together stakeholders – coaches, management, staff, and players – to collaboratively develop a set of words that express their identity and beliefs. This process often results in a fairly common list of values, including:
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Humility
- Professionalism
- Discipline
- Toughness
- Work ethic
- Enjoyment/fun
- Passion
- Respect
While these are admirable qualities, simply listing them is not enough to create meaningful change. The challenge lies in translating these abstract concepts into concrete behaviors and actions.
Living the Values: The Key to Success
For a values-based sporting environment to be truly effective, the chosen values must be actively lived and demonstrated by all members of the organization. This requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond words on a wall or in a mission statement.
Some strategies for bringing values to life in a sporting context include:
- Regular discussions and reflections on how values are being applied in daily activities
- Recognition and celebration of individuals who exemplify the organization’s values
- Incorporating values-based decision-making into coaching and management practices
- Creating opportunities for community service that align with the organization’s values
- Developing accountability systems that reinforce adherence to shared values
By consistently reinforcing and demonstrating these values in action, sports organizations can create a culture where positive behaviors become the norm rather than the exception.
Implementing VETS Programs: Best Practices for Educators
For educators looking to incorporate Values Education through Sport into their teaching practice, there are several key considerations and best practices to keep in mind. How can teachers effectively implement VETS programs in their classrooms and schools?
Integration Across the Curriculum
One of the strengths of VETS programs is their versatility and cross-curricular potential. To maximize their impact, consider integrating sport-based values education into various subjects:
- Physical Education: Incorporate discussions about fairness and teamwork into game play
- Social Studies: Use sports examples to explore concepts of cultural diversity and global citizenship
- Science: Discuss the importance of discipline and perseverance in scientific inquiry, drawing parallels to athletic training
- Language Arts: Analyze sports literature or journalism to explore themes of respect and integrity
Creating Inclusive Environments
To ensure that all students can benefit from VETS programs, it’s crucial to create an inclusive environment that accommodates diverse abilities and interests. Some strategies include:
- Offering a variety of sport and physical activity options to cater to different preferences
- Adapting activities to ensure participation of students with disabilities
- Promoting mixed-gender activities to challenge stereotypes and foster mutual respect
- Celebrating diverse cultural traditions in sport to promote global understanding
Emphasizing Reflection and Transfer
For the lessons learned through sport to have lasting impact, students need opportunities to reflect on their experiences and consider how they can apply these values in other areas of their lives. Educators can facilitate this process by:
- Incorporating regular debriefing sessions after sport activities
- Encouraging journaling or group discussions about values-related experiences
- Assigning projects that connect sport values to real-world scenarios
- Inviting guest speakers to share how sport values have influenced their lives and careers
The Future of Values Education Through Sport
As we look to the future, the potential for sport to play an even greater role in values education and character development is immense. What trends and developments can we expect to see in this field?
Technological Integration
Advancements in technology are opening up new possibilities for enhancing VETS programs. Some potential applications include:
- Virtual reality simulations that allow students to experience diverse sporting environments and scenarios
- Mobile apps that gamify the process of applying sport values in daily life
- Wearable devices that track not just physical performance but also indicators of fair play and sportsmanship
- Online platforms that connect students globally for cross-cultural sport-based learning experiences
Research and Evidence-Based Practice
As the field of sport-based values education continues to grow, we can expect to see an increase in rigorous research examining its impact. This will likely lead to:
- More refined and targeted interventions based on empirical evidence
- Development of standardized assessment tools to measure the effectiveness of VETS programs
- Greater integration of VETS principles into teacher training programs
- Increased funding and support for VETS initiatives as their benefits become more widely recognized
Expanding Beyond Schools
While much of the current focus is on implementing VETS programs in school settings, there is growing recognition of their potential in other contexts. Future developments may include:
- Corporate training programs that use sport-based activities to teach leadership and teamwork skills
- Community-based initiatives that leverage sport to promote social cohesion and conflict resolution
- Rehabilitation programs that incorporate VETS principles to support personal growth and reintegration
- International development projects that use sport as a tool for promoting peace and cross-cultural understanding
As these trends continue to evolve, the role of sport in shaping values and character is likely to become increasingly recognized and valued across various sectors of society.
Values Education through Sport
Innovative education for development
Education in the 21st century increasingly recognizes the role of values and social skills in tackling global challenges, such as inactivity, obesity, unemployment, and conflict. This approach is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education, which advocates for inclusive lifelong learning opportunities and innovative content delivery.
Dynamic forms of values-based education using sport can be introduced in schools to support teachers deliver curricula actively and cooperatively.
What are sport values?
Sport can teach values such as fairness, teambuilding, equality, discipline, inclusion, perseverance and respect.
Sport has the power to provide a universal framework for learning values, thus contributing to the development of soft skills needed for responsible citizenship.
What can Values Education through Sport offer?
Values Education through Sport (VETS) programmes support active learning, complement cognitive skills and give students increasing amounts of responsibility, and enhance their level of concentration and participation.
VETS programmes are flexible and have a strong cross-curricular potential: they can reinforce existing curricula and can be streamed across different subjects, including physical education, civic and moral education, nutrition, biology, arts.
Ultimately, these programmes help students to transfer and put values into action outside the school environment, by getting engaged in their communities, making informed decisions, being sensitive and respecting the others and the environment. VETS contributes to the development of self-confidence, active and healthy lifestyle choices, and an understanding of rights, supporting the delicate transition to the independence of adulthood.
UNESCO has developed several tools presenting the benefits of sport values in all world regions that you can check out and download:
- an animated video, also available subtitled in French
- a bilingual photo book, available in English-French and English-Portuguese
- an advocacy infographic, also available in Arabic, Chinese, French and Russian
Support the Sport Values Education Partnership
UNESCO has joined forces with the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), the International Fair Play Committee (IFPC), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
This Education Partnership aims to embed sports values across school-based curricula.
In the context of this Partnership, a “Sport values in every classroom: teaching respect, equity and inclusion to 8-12 year-old students” toolkit for teachers was developed.
Its mission is to assist teachers in their work to instil in children the values of respect, equity and inclusion through engaging activities.
- Download the toolkit, also available in French and Spanish
Publications
See also …
Values Based Sport: How to Create an effective Values Based Sporting Environment.
Published by Wayne Goldsmith on
Everyone talks about values based coaching.
Lots of people believe in values based management.
Even more promote the benefits of players and athletes coming up with a list of values on which to build a successful team preparation and performance environment.
And yet…in spite of all the talk about values and the millions of dollars being spent in professional sports around the world on developing values, mission statements and team trademarks, we still have sporting teams being destroyed by unprofessional preparation, poor alcohol and social drugs management, sexual harassment, violence, crime and misconduct.
So what is Values Based Sport how do you create an effective Values Based Sporting Environment?
The Typical Values Approach.
The typical “values” approach is to bring people together – in a professional sporting club this may mean coaches, management, staff and players – and ask them work together to come up with a set of words which express who they are as a group, what they believe in and what they stand for.
Having been through over one hundred of these sessions with professional and Olympic sports around the world, there is a fairly common list of values that people in sport tend to want to be identified by and with.
The Big Ten Values:
- Honesty;
- Integrity;
- Humility;
- Professionalism;
- Discipline;
- Toughness or some variation like ruthless, hard-core etc;
- Work ethic;
- Enjoyment / fun;
- Passion;
- Respect.
There are many, many others: you could add values like “pride”, “passion”, “team-spirit” and even “determination” – but when it comes to the Values thrown around in a sporting club or sporting program these ten are the most common.
And each of them are meaningless and worthless unless…..
The key to Values Based Sport – Living Values.
The key to creating and sustaining a Values based sporting organisation is not in the words you choose.
It is not in banners which proclaim the words to the world.
It is not in t-shirts which tell the world “this is who we are and what we stand for”.
The key to making it work is Living Values: bringing the words to life and giving them real meaning and relevance by your actions, standards and behaviours everyday.
Honesty – What does it look like?
Without doubt the most common values word that sporting organisations come up with is “honesty” – i.e. “we will be an honest group” or “we will conduct ourselves with honesty”.
And that sounds lovely, doesn’t it…weeeeeeeeeeee! Let’s all clap our hands and sing songs about butterflies and fairies. Hooray! We are honest!
Words, without actions are meaningless.
So what does honesty look like?
The Critical Step: Putting actions, standards and behaviours behind the words.
The critical step in this – and the step that most sporting organisations do not do, is to identify relevant actions, standards and behaviours which will bring the values to life.
For all sporting organisations, there are important situations and critical moments when the actions, standards and behaviours of athletes, coaches, management and staff need to reflect the organisation’s values.
For example, it is important that players “live” the organisation’s values in social situations, meeting sponsors, meeting fans and talking to media. It is important that players “live” the organisation’s values in the gym, during on field training and during recovery and injury management activities.
(Incidentally I have a great workshop program for sporting teams, sporting clubs and organisations who want to work through this Living Values process.
Here’s an example.
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Summary:
- There is no doubt that a sporting organisation which aspires to greatness needs more than just a nice office, talented athletes and hard working coaches to realise its full potential;
- Values can be the underpinning strength – the character – the cultural driving forces behind success if they have real meaning and relevance;
- The key to creating and sustaining a values based sporting organisation is Living Values: living the values in everything you do, every time, every day.
Wayne Goldsmith
The role of sport in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Children play football at the ACAKORO Football Academy in the Korogocho section of Nairobi, Kenya, September 2015. © UNOSDP
About the author .
After 15 years of persistent efforts to achieve the unprecedented Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the global community, in a transitional context, has shifted its focus to the targets of their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are reflected in adopted the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Based on an analysis of the progress made and the remaining challenges in the implementation of the eight MDGs, the international community, led by the United Nations, held broad consultations with all stakeholders in society and agreed to set a course for the achievement of 17 goals over the next 15 years in the area of sustainable development (SDG).
Reflecting the irresistible desire to build unity and prosperity for our planet, while leaving no one behind, Agenda 2030 provides a unique opportunity to launch a global effort to ensure the development of all countries, including in the use of sport for development and peace.
Sport has proven its value as an effective and flexible tool to help achieve the goals of peace and development. Since the beginning of the MDGs in 2000, sport has played an important role in advancing each of the eight Millennium Development Goals, as reaffirmed in numerous General Assembly resolutions. Its resolution 70/1, Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, reaffirmed the role of sport in promoting social progress:
Sport is also an important factor in ensuring sustainable development. We recognize the growing contribution of sport to development and peace as it promotes the principles of tolerance and respect and promotes the empowerment of women and youth, individuals and communities, and the achievement of health, education and social inclusion goals.
As part of tapping into this enormous potential of sport, the United Nations Office of Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) has a long history of rallying people around sport and encouraging the use of sport to support peace initiatives, from mega-sports events to street competitions. These initiatives help sport achieve its full potential in achieving development goals.
Regular exercise and sports provide a range of benefits, including increased social activity and improved health.
Not only do they have a direct health-improving effect on the body’s physical condition, but they also encourage children and adolescents to lead a healthy lifestyle, helping them to stay active and fight off non-communicable diseases. In addition, a number of studies conducted by the World Health Organization indicate that physical exercise contributes to the formation of a healthy psyche in a person and stimulates his mental development. Such exercises have been linked to increased self-esteem and self-confidence in people, and have a positive effect on people suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Sport contributes to the well-being of people, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. Everyone loves to play sports, and in terms of its distribution, sports have no equal competitors. For example, the World Taekwondo Federation established the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation to promote this martial art in refugee camps around the world. The implementation of such initiatives raises global awareness of the plight of refugees and is fully in line with the objectives of the SRM. In particular, such initiatives are consistent with the goal of promoting healthy lifestyles (Goal 3: Ensure healthy lifestyles and promote well-being for all at all ages).
Children and teenagers get a good boost of energy that increases their physical activity. Together with the school curriculum, physical education and sports are a prerequisite for a comprehensive education (Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all). Sport provides an opportunity for lifelong learning and provides an alternative education for children who cannot attend school.
By participating in sports and physical education along with school activities, students learn the core values of sports, including team spirit, fair play, respect for the rules and other participants, a sense of mutual assistance, discipline and tolerance. These skills will then be useful in team work and professional life and can help to strengthen social inclusion at the local level and in society as a whole. Given the benefits that sport offers for personal and social development, increasing access to and participation in sport should be a priority development goal.
For this reason, since 2012, UNOSDP has run a Youth Leadership Program that aims to train young leaders from disadvantaged communities to use sport as a tool for progress. For this Young Leadership Camp, held in Hamburg, Germany, in February 2016, six refugees were invited and included in the training group to learn about different ways to harness the power of sport to promote inclusion and bring people together.
In addition, sport, in its original design, is inclusive and has the potential to promote equality between men and women (Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls).
Through sport and fitness, women and girls can empower themselves and acquire the positive qualities of sport that will improve their health and psychosocial well-being.
Women’s participation in sports also contributes to breaking down the stereotypes and social roles usually associated with women. Sport can help women and girls show their talents and achievements to the society by showing their skills and abilities. This, in turn, increases their self-esteem and instills self-confidence in the female participants. In addition, sport provides opportunities for social interaction and friendships, which can lead to a greater understanding among their male counterparts of the role of women and men in society and bring social and psychological benefits to both the individual and the collective of people.
For example, the Diyar Consortium project run by the State of Palestine provides strong evidence of the power of sport to promote gender equality. Under this project, a sports center was established for women to participate in sports, acquire transferable skills and acquire the knowledge necessary for employment. In 2008, a women’s sports complex was built in Diyar, and the Diyar women’s football team, which has become one of the leading national football teams in Palestine, is a prime example of its success. In 2011, the team won the first championship of the Palestinian Women’s Football League. Now, at the sports academy, members of the Diyar women’s football team train younger girls and pass on their knowledge to them. In addition, an extensive network of cooperation has been established in Diyar and partnerships have been established with Palestinian and international organizations, allowing the project to maintain momentum and make it progressive. This project is significant not only for women, but for the whole city.
Through the initiatives of UNOSDP and its partners, sport contributes to a more inclusive society in cities and towns (Goal 11: Make cities and communities open, safe, resilient and environmentally sustainable).
In April 2016, I traveled to Nepal to participate in the opening ceremony of a table tennis playground (NepALL project), which aims to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. This project is a clear example of how sport can contribute to social development by changing perceptions of people with disabilities and enabling these people to play sports despite significant obstacles. In particular, after the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015, sport creates an atmosphere of normalcy for the survivors and increases self-confidence.
In addition, sport can be used as a real tool for preventing conflict and promoting long-term peace. After all, sport and its ubiquity has the power to bring different cultures together (Goal 16: Promoting a peaceful and open society based on access to justice for all).
In its contribution to peace, sport often provides a safe environment at the local and community level, where participants come together to achieve common goals and interests; learn the principles of respect, tolerance and fair play; and acquire social communication skills. Being a common denominator and an object of universal worship, sport can build bridges between peoples, despite their cultural differences or political differences. In times of conflict or instability, sport can create a sense of normalcy.
I witnessed how sport can be used to promote understanding and dialogue in areas of conflict during the 2013 Young Leaders Training Program in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. The program invited participants from the Republic of Korea and from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the workshop, where they and other participants were given the opportunity to realize that they have more similarities than differences. They were also asked to give up their negative perceptions of each other.
The Young Leadership Program is an important tool for both countries to use sport to bring people closer together, respect each other, understand each other and build dialogue.
Building strong and sustainable partnerships is critical to making a real contribution to global development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The world is now more interconnected than ever before, and the global phenomenon of sport has the power to connect powerful networks of diverse partners and stakeholders with a shared commitment to sustainable development.
In this regard, the world of sport can bring together networks of influential partners and stakeholders to use sport for sustainable development (Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for development).
In this context, an outstanding example of such a partnership is the cooperation between the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has observer status in the United Nations General Assembly and is one of the key partners of UNOSDP in implementing a number of joint initiatives under the program “Sport for Development and Peace”.
For example, the General Assembly adopted a number of resolutions on the issue of establishing the “Olympic Truce”. Every four years, the United Nations issues an urgent appeal to Member States, all warring parties and other stakeholders to respect the ceasefire during the celebrations of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There is a kind of hope in this tradition that one day of truce will lead to one week of peace, one month of peace on the planet and, ultimately, an end to the war. The Olympic values thus become an important component of sport and education, with a long tradition of promoting peace. General Assembly Resolution 70/4, entitled “Building peace and a happier world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, was introduced by 180 Member States of the United Nations and was adopted by consensus in 2015. In this resolution, Member States agreed to observe the “Olympic Truce” for seven days prior to the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in August and seven days after the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in September month.
These Games will have a great inspiring and unifying effect on people all over the world. Brazil will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are held for the first time in South America. Also, for the first time, refugees will be represented with their own Olympic team. These two unprecedented features of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games demonstrate that the Olympic Games represent not a fierce competition, but a unique opportunity to build a more open society and promote the ideals of peace, openness and respect. Mega-scale sporting events can contribute to the cause of social development, economic growth, health, education and environmental protection, especially if they are supported by comprehensive and coherent long-term strategies at the municipal, regional and national level.
However, sport still faces many challenges in realizing its full potential. All too often we see instances of intolerance, racism, hatred and violence in the course of sports competitions.
Sports organizations, leaders, players and fans must do everything possible to stop such antics and ensure that the positive power of sport is fully harnessed. As in many other areas, corruption is also manifested in sports. Corruption is killing sport, and abuse, including doping, should not be tolerated in sport. Our task is to fight relentlessly against such violations and to encourage the creation of an atmosphere of good governance, integrity and transparency. We must strive to ensure that the goal of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is placed at the center of the work of all sports organizations.
Despite all these challenges, the tremendous positive power and appeal of sport will continue to bring people together, helping to build peace and build a more open society on our planet through the embodiment of universal values and principles. Sport has historically played an important role in any society and is a powerful advocacy platform that can be used to promote a culture of peace.
It is and will continue to be one of the most effective and versatile tools to advance the ideals of the United Nations and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Tarja Halonen
Ensuring women’s land rights for greater gender equality, food security and economic empowerment
On this World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, governments must immediately remove legal barriers to land ownership or land inheritance plots by women and girls. More broadly, women should be able to participate in decision-making regarding land management, conservation and restoration.
Brian Stevenson
Combating the legacy of slavery with hope and justice
As the world’s leading international organization, the United Nations is the only institution that can connect the many actors and partners involved in the global tragedy of transatlantic trade enslaved Africans.
Bridget Asiamaho
20 years of progress is not enough: we must act now to end obstetric fistula
Obstetric fistula can be prevented with access to quality comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and information.
Equally important for the eradication of this disease is the possibility of undergoing treatment and its availability in the event of a fistula.
Rostec: faster, higher, stronger
Photo: Labor Reserves
International Sports Day, established at the initiative of the United Nations in 2013, is celebrated annually on April 6th. This day is an occasion to remember the power of sport to change the world and promote the cohesion of people on the planet. Sport is a universal language whose values are understood all over the world. On this day, amateur tournaments, competitions and other sports games are held in many countries.
For Rostec State Corporation, sports support is a key element of social policy and corporate culture. Every year dozens of sports competitions are held with the participation of the Corporation and its enterprises. We talk about the role of sports and the most striking sports events in the life of Rostec.
Long game
Discipline, team spirit, the ability to set goals and achieve them, and, finally, health are the values that sport brings to our lives and which are in demand in any job, especially in industrial enterprises. It is not surprising that support for a healthy lifestyle and sports occupies one of the central places in Rostec’s corporate policy. According to corporate culture researchers, companies that pay due attention to indoor sports not only improve the health of employees, but also make a significant contribution to their future.
On the one hand, sports and physical education solve the basic problem of recreation – rest and recuperation after work. On the other hand, and this applies mainly to team sports, the socio-psychological climate in the organization is improving, horizontal and vertical ties are being strengthened. As a result, an increase in the efficiency of work and business indicators of the company. That very feeling of a shoulder is getting stronger when you know that a colleague whom you have trusted in a sports competition will not let you down at work.
Throughout its history, Rostec has supported many sports and healthy lifestyle events. Firstly, these are our own sports initiatives in which employees of the Corporation’s enterprises participate. And secondly, it is support for third-party events and communities of various sizes: from small children’s tournaments to sports associations covering the whole country. Such a healthy corporate policy is bearing fruit, and every year the number of people wishing to take part in Rostec’s sporting events is only growing.
How sports are developed in the Corporation
The policy for the development of physical culture and sports in Rostec was adopted in 2019. This year can be considered the starting point for the purposeful work of the Corporation in this area, although, of course, sport has always been present in the life of Rostec. Let us remind you that free sports are part of the Corporation’s social program, along with VHI and health resorts.
Photo: Labor Reserves
Promotion of physical culture and sports in Rostec is carried out according to a multi-level system, starting with the sports block in the Corporation’s central office and ending with sports clubs at enterprises throughout the country. At the same time, the wishes of employees who prefer certain sports are taken into account. For example, the current list of interests of Rostekh residents includes football, boxing, athletics, volleyball and chess. Trainings are built on a professional level, and the coaching staff includes masters of sports and even coaches of the Russian national teams.
According to Ilya Myasnikov, Assistant General Director – Department Director of Rostec State Corporation, in 2021 the number of employees systematically involved in sports increased by 8.4% compared to last year and amounted to 21.4% of the total. That is, every fifth employee of the Corporation is somehow involved in sports life.
Photo: Labor Reserves
It is important to note that participation in sports life for Rostec employees does not end with attending sections and local competitions, but also allows them to reach a higher level.
So, in October 2021, the Russian team for the first time took part in the World Summer Corporate Games in Greece. Among the 170 athletes were employees of Rostec, Rosoboronexport, UEC, UEC-Klimov, UEC-Star, UEC-Aviadvigatel, Helicopter Service Company. The team won 36 medals in 12 sports, including 10 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze medals. Including the second place in the world – the football team of the central office of Rostec!
Sports projects of Rostec
In 2018, the Rostec State Corporation revived the All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Society Labor Reserves, whose main task was to develop corporate sports. Over the past few years, the movement has become global and has reached the federal level, increasing the scale of work. In 2021, more than half a million athletes took part in the events of the society. According to Sergey Chemezov, General Director of the Corporation, the key principle of the society’s work is openness – not only employees of industrial enterprises, but also members of their families, and anyone who wishes can join it.
Therefore, we can say that the “Labor Reserves” launched the revival of mass sports in Russia.
Photo: Boxing Academy
Rostec’s unique sports project was the Striking Ten, a corporate competition in punching power and boxing. In 2021, the fifth anniversary tournament covered 43 cities and over 30,000 participants, and the grand final of the season was held at the Luzhniki Sports Palace in Moscow. In five years, the Shock Ten has turned from an intra-corporate sports festival into an all-Russian movement supported by Rostec’s industrial partners and boxing stars.
A striking example of long-term friendship in the field of sports is the cooperation between Rostec and the famous Russian racing team KAMAZ-master. Thanks to the support of the Corporation, two brand new trucks of the K5 family of the KAMAZ brand were created, which contributed to the successful performance at the international Dakar rally in 2021, where the team took four first places, becoming the 19-time champion of the prestigious race.
