Beyond Sport is delighted to announce that it has reached a major sponsorship agreement with United Airlines, bringing one of the world’s leading carriers to the sport for development initiative as the Global Airline Partner.

United Airlines will play a pivotal role in helping Beyond Sport achieve its stated long-term aim of promoting, developing and funding the use of sport to create positive social change across the globe.

Thanks to United’s unique support and goodwill, representatives from the shortlisted projects for the 2010 Beyond Sport Awards will be flown from all over world to the second annual Beyond Sport Summit, taking place September 27-30, 2010 in Chicago.

“As an airline committed to connecting our communities to the world and connecting with our communities to help address critical needs, supporting Beyond Sport is a natural fit,” said Marci Kaminsky, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility for United Airlines.

“Our partnership allows us to extend the work we support through partnerships with several major U.S. professional sports teams and Team USA to global projects that can bring positive change to communities all over the world.”

Designed to recognise and reward the best sport and development projects from across the world on an annual basis, the Beyond Sport Awards incorporates 12 categories covering the entire sporting spectrum of health, social inclusion, corporate and social responsibility and philanthropy.

In its second year, the Awards attracted entries from over 350 projects, further extending the significant reach of the global initiative to over 115 countries and territories.

A shortlist of projects in each of the Awards categories will be revealed in early summer, and representatives from each of the projects will be transported – courtesy of United Airlines – to the Beyond Sport Summit 2010 in Chicago.

“Working with Beyond Sport is important and meaningful, and we are proud to be able to bring the leaders of such diverse and deserving sport and social change projects from around the world to our global headquarters city of Chicago”, said Kamisky.

The Summit is a unique event designed to celebrate, promote and drive forward the use of sport as a tool for positive social change. It brings together those who use sport as a vehicle to create social impact and influencers from the world of business, government and federations whose attitudes and decisions can have substantial impact.

With four months to go until the 2010 event, the Summit already boasts an impressive line-up of speakers including HRH Prince Faisal Al Hussein of Jordan; Rita LeBlanc, owner of NFL SuperBowl champions the New Orleans Saints; Jérôme Valcke, FIFA Secretary General; and two-time Women’s World Cup winner and former US soccer captain Julie Foudy.

A host of further speaker announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

United Airlines joins Barclays Spaces for Sports, TIME International and UNICEF as commercial partners to Beyond Sport.

Beyond Sport is also represented by a host of high-profile Ambassadors, all who bring unique experiences and visions to the initiative. Chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, they also include the multi-Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson; Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of London 2012; former NBA Champion and US Senator Bill Bradley; and IOC Executive Board Member Nawal El Moutawakel, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Morocco.

For further information visit www.beyondsport.org or contact

Drew Barrand
Head of Media & Communications
Beyond Sport
Tel: +44 (0)20 3355 8133
Cell: +44 (0)777 624 2904
Email: drew@beyondsport.org