The International Rugby Board is committed to work alongside Peace and Sport to build peace-promotion and peace-building programmes worldwide
Peace and Sport and the International Rugby Board (IRB) have joined forces to deliver peace-building education programmes through Rugby.
The agreement was ratified by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between both parties. The MOU was signed by IRB President Bernard Lapasset and Peace and Sport President Joel Bouzou at the SportAccord 2009 Conference in Denver, USA on March 24.
Joel Bouzou, said: “This exciting partnership strengthens Peace and Sport’s capacity to continue its global programme of assisting the social integration of thousands of young people in distress around the world, including the street kids and war orphans.”
“Through the provision of technical support, personnel, development expertise and the collective desire to make a difference, Peace and Sport and the IRB will work together to implement a number of regional education programmes. Rugby is a perfect vehicle to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and peace.”
IRB Chairman, Bernard Lapasset said: “We believe that Rugby’s universal values of respect, friendship, team work and fair play are a natural platform from which to contribute to overcoming the social challenges that exist around the world. These values are also closely aligned to those of Peace and Sport so it is a natural association.”
“We are looking forward to working with Peace and Sport and creating new opportunities for Rugby as a vehicle for social change. This agreement is further evidence of our commitment to promote peace and peace-building programmes around the world.”
Peace and Sport already has an extensive global support network operating programmes in Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, Israel, Palestine, East Timor and Colombia. It has the backing of governments, international sports federations and international corporations.
The IRB has 116 National Federations affiliated through six regions and funds and delivers extensive development programmes across the globe. The synergy between Peace and Sport and the IRB will mean that more young children than ever before will be reached by locally-based projects in selected countries.
About the International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board (IRB) was founded in 1886. With its headquarters in Dublin, the IRB is the world governing and Law making body for the Game of Rugby Union. The IRB has several main functions including:
Governance of the Laws and Regulations and their enforcement
Tournament owners and managers
Global game development through Member Unions funding via grants and Strategic Investment programmes, and delivery of Education & Development programmes
Game promotion
About Peace and Sport
“Peace and Sport Organisation pour la Paix et le Sport” is an international initiative based in Monaco, created under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II.
Peace and Sport’s objective is to bring the structuring values of sport to the heart of communities in crisis throughout the world. Undertaking projects in areas suffering the consequences of armed conflict, areas of extreme poverty or lacking social cohesion, Peace and Sport makes sport a vehicle for tolerance, respect and citizenship, at the service of Sustainable Peace.
Supported by governments, world sport governance bodies, international organisations, private international corporations and international sports champions, Peace and Sport creates synergies between various actors to successfully carry out two major types of activity: organising an annual International Forum ; and implementing Locally-Based Projects (concrete projects in areas in crisis throughout the world).
Peace and Sport has interventions in Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, Israel-Palestine, in the Great Lakes Region in Africa, in Timor Leste, in Colombia and is planning interventions in Haiti.
Peace and Sport was created by Joel Bouzou, its current President. Mr. Bouzou is an Olympic medallist and a Modern Pentathlon World Champion. He is the current General Secretary of the Modern Pentathlon International Union (MPIU), a Member of the World Olympians Association (WOA) Executive Committee, and an Advisor to HSH the Prince Albert II of Monaco.
For more information, please contact Peace and Sport or IRB
Valerie Amant – Tel :
Dominic Rumbles – Tel : +353-86-852-0826- Dominic.Rumbles@irb.com – www.irb.com
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