The Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation will host the 9th annual Commonwealth Debate on Sport and Sustainable Development on 26 March 2025.
The debate will commemorate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, which takes place annually on the 6th of April. Each year, the event offers a platform for Commonwealth ministers, senior government officials, high commissioners, athletes, academics, sports advocates, representatives from Commonwealth accredited organisations, and young people to discuss sport-related issues.
Two high-profile panels will debate the motion:
‘Preserving traditional games honours cultural identity but is a distraction from the future-focused demands of modern sports’.
This motion will see a lively debate between two teams of experts. One team will discuss how traditional games can serve as a vital link to cultural heritage and social well-being, while the other team with argue that modern sports can help drive international competition and innovation.
While the focus on professional, competitive sports continues to shape the global landscape, the preservation of traditional games offers an essential counterbalance – a means of maintaining cultural diversity, fostering community, and celebrating human creativity in its various forms. Conversations will touch on how the two can thrive side by side, each offering something unique and valuable to the world.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC will welcome everyone to the debate and the event will conclude with a winner being chosen by the independent adjudicators who are appointed to assess the arguments from both teams and identify a winner.
Attendees (both in person and online) will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panellists after the debate has concluded.
The debate comes a year before Commonwealth Sport’s signature event – the Commonwealth Games – which will take place in Glasgow in July and August 2026.
Debating teams
Arguing for the motion:
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Vincent M John, Chairman, Cultural Games Association UK
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Stuart MacDonald, Director, ICR Research
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Noora Virtanen, Lacrosse Player and Acting Head of Communications, Canada House London
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Ranjit Singh, Head Coach, Wolverhampton Wrestling Club
Arguing against the motion:
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Stef Reid, British Paralympic Track and Field
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Dr Rory Summerley, Course Leader Game Design and Development, London South Bank University
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Zoya Zia, Senior Impact and Evaluation Officer, Chance to Shine Cricket
For more information
Please contact Karina Gosalia, Health and Sport Research Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat: [email protected]
