The Commonwealth Secretariat will host the Sport Development Network (SDN) at its annual online convention on the 18th September 2025.
The event, supported by ConnectSport CIC, will bring together leading voices from across academia, policy, and practice to debate the theme:
“Beyond 2030: Converging and collaborating to strengthen sport’s contribution to sustainable development.”
Sport plays a significant role in sustainable development, with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development acknowledging sport as an important enabler of the SDGs. Yet, despite significant initiatives worldwide, evidence shows that only a fraction of the global goals have been realised.
The event, which is free-to-attend and will be open to questions and contributions from the audience, will be addressed by the following speakers:
- Prof Richard Giulianotti, UNESCO Chair in Sport, Physical Activity and Education for Development, and Professor of Sociology, Loughborough University
- Dr Ben Farai Sanders, Executive Director, International Platform on Sport and Development
- James Mapstone, CEO, Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice
- Dr. Lombe Mwambwa, CEO (interim) at the Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport
- Professor Iain Lindsey, Head of Department for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham University
- Dr Lin Sambili Gicheha, Adviser, Sport for Development and Peace, Commonwealth Secretariat
For more information, please contact Senior Communications Officer Ben Maloney: [email protected].
