
Posted on September 9, 2024
In today’s busy world which is flooded with differences in political, social and cultural systems, CT sports have opened opportunities for people to come together for the common cause of winning and celebrating. From the Olympics competition to FIFA world cup and other international sporting activities, these activities cut across political boundaries and are indicators of unity, pride and achievements of the human race. This unique ability of sports to foster unity is underpinned on value of respect, fellowship and ethic of reciprocity that transcends diversity fostering unity hence promoting understanding.
Sports
Sport is known and practiced all around the world. Be it football, basketball, cricket, athletics, or running, a number of millions of people in this world either actively, take part in these, or passively, support them. That is why sports are loved by millions of people, as sports unite, giving everyone the same passion. People with any nationality, ethnos, religious preference see themselves as citizens of the world who are interested in the competitions and inclined to admire the result of work, training, and efforts. Sports elicit feelings that translate to feelings from people all over the world—happiness, failure, pride and sometimes, certainly, identification.
It becomes a connection point between strangers or groups of people that maybe will not have any other reason to associate. Indeed, in international sporting events, when nations’ representatives go head-to-head, it is not a issue of who conquers the other. It is also about acknowledging the efforts each other has put, sweat shared and principles of faireness. In this regards, sports promote respect between nations and their people.
Large scale Sporting Events as Symbols of Xenopolity
The Olympic played in different countries every four years and the FIFA World Cup always held in different countries also can be considered as the best examples of how the use of sports can bring together world. These events are as much, and even more a platform for the exchange of cultures, sports diplomacy. In reference to the Olympic motto ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ meaning ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ the Olympic Games have always symbolised the notion that competition could unite the world. The Games honor people’s capabilities and they are a message that proves we have to unite since we are all citizens of this world.
The FIFA World Cup Soccer which is the most popular sports competition globally also reunites fans from all over the universe. Over the period of a month the fans of the football teams of various origins sit together to watch the football matches. Often we can observe a flag of a country above the territory of another country, people are not supporting only their team, but the world of sports as well. Such events act as forums whereby people and in this case nations come together and leave their bitterness and rivalry behind in form of a spirit of healthy competition.
Sports and Diplomacy
Sports had also been used as a means of diplomacy through out the world, for instance. , such as the ‘Ping-Pong Diplomacy’ when China and United States began reciprocal ping pong Matches in 1971, which significantly improved the sides relations during the Cold War. Also, North and South Korea can engage in the sporting events for a form of dialogue and cooperation, for instance, Korean athletes joined together and marched during the 2018 Olympic winter games in Pyeongchang under the unified Korean peninsula flag.
These examples demonstrate the possibility which sport has of uniting people and fostering dialogue between countries with complicated relations. In this way, sports offer ‘safe’ spaces that facilitate interactions between countries that do not encompass the strict political diplomacy context and thus promote peace-building and reconciliation.
Sports as a Platform mean and Dear People The concept of presenting sports as a vehicle for change means and dear people.
Besides being used in international relations, sports have also played a significant role in social transformation process and dissolution of barriers. It is also noteworthy that athletes cannot remain silent and have raised their voice against racism and injustice, gender-based violence or discrimination of people with different disabilities and orientations. Lenny from the ‘70s up to the present time: Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, Colin Kaepernick, and the list can go on and on are representations of how sports can be mechanisms for social justice delivery.
Thus, sports not only bring harmony among countries but also within the society as well. This is a very crucial factor because through unity of various communities in organizing of exercise and games societies are brought into equality hence the world made better place for everybody.
Conclusion
There is no other cultural activity as influential as sports in the sense that it has the dynamism of cutting across the various barriers that exist in the society. Through healthy competition and obeying the rules of fair play, team work is instilled and practiced thus promoting unity in the society. Large scale international sporting events give hope and outlook for the international society where people of different Nations can come together with Differences but can unite with passion and love for sports and humans. Regardless of whether it concerns international competition level or extra-mural activities at the national or regional level, sport has only once and again demonstrated that it can effectively be used to bring people of the world closer. In recognition with the escalating interaction of the world over the constitution of more interdependent relations and cooperation, the function of sports in enhancing harmony and reciprocation does not wane of importance.