Promoting Sustainable Development Goals through Sports at the Osaka Expo 2025

The Japan Sport Council (JSC), alongside the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), is spearheading significant initiatives aimed at leveraging sports as a powerful means for promoting peace and sustainable development during the lead-up to the Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. This collaboration comes in response to numerous appeals made by the United Nations General Assembly emphasizing the vital role of sports in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Despite the recognition of sports' potential, challenges persist in its application in real-world contexts.

In an effort to address these challenges, JSC and UNITAR recently hosted a special program titled “Promoting Sports for Development and Peace: Co-Creating Culture through Sports and Diplomacy,” held at the Expo site on May 4th. The event aimed to enhance the understanding of the role and significance of sports in areas such as the environment, peace, social inclusion, gender issues, and education.

Engaging Activities and Workshops

The program featured a unique combination of a virtual rowing experience and an interactive workshop centered around Sports for Development and Peace (SDP). A total of 78 participants from various sectors, including national sports organizations, local governments, NGOs, NPOs, and universities, joined the event. JSC Chairperson, Ritsuko Ashidate, emphasized the growth of virtual sports as a transformative avenue that expands the possibilities of traditional physical sports. The integration of virtual rowing, designed for inclusivity, allows individuals regardless of physical ability to partake in activities promoting social inclusion.

The virtual rowing experience was complemented by demonstrations featuring Paralympic athletes Momoko Takano and Ryota Seto, who showcased their skills in rowing—derived from the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games' competition venue, the Sea Forest Waterway. Attendees were treated to an exhilarating glimpse of the sheer power and speed involved in elite-level rowing, offering an immersive experience of sportsmanship at its finest.

Insights from Keynote Speakers

At the SDP workshop, Etsuko Yamada of JSC introduced the “Guidebook for Utilizing Sports to Achieve SDGs,” created in collaboration with sportanddev. She highlighted how intentional incorporation of sports characteristics into development projects is crucial for fostering peace and achieving SDGs.

Professor Emma Sherry from RMIT University in Australia provided deep insights into the interconnections between national sports policies and SDGs based on her research spanning 100 policy documents across 40 nations. She indicated that genuine engagement with SDGs necessitates more than mere acknowledgment; it demands clear objectives, strategies, timelines, and budget allocations. Rather than approaching SDGs superficially, stakeholders should focus on the specific social issues they aim to address, thereby paving the way for concrete actions.

Masakun Sobuchi from World Rowing elaborated on sustainable strategies and collaborations with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect and rehabilitate aquatic ecosystems. He stressed the importance of promoting gender equality within decision-making processes and how initiatives such as virtual rowing can provide solutions to societal challenges like youth disengagement from sports and aging populations.

Numerous constructive questions arose during the workshops, with “cross-sector collaboration” and “monitoring and evaluation (M&E)” frequently highlighted as common themes across discussions.

Conclusion

Through the strategic initiative of JSC and UNITAR at the Osaka Expo, they have provided a significant platform for disseminating effective information and fostering capacity-building opportunities among stakeholders both within and beyond the sports sector. The emphasis on the utility of sports in addressing social issues demonstrates how the upcoming Expo can serve as a catalyst for meaningful change in sustainable development through sports initiatives.