DCN SEE Hub, Digital Communication Network and World Learning are organizing, via Zoom, the webinar “Common Language of Sports“, which will take place in the 8th of October at 18:00 (Athens Time).
As millions of people flow across international borders every year, the concerns about migrant and refugee integration into communities and local cultures have become a prominent feature on public policy debates around the world and will continue to be so in the future. While there are many important challenges surrounding refugee integration, the focus of this webinar will be on how sports can mitigate some of them.
Sports as a tool for promoting human rights, encouraging peace, and fostering international understanding in a spirit of mutual respect can play an important role in helping both host societies and new arrivals in a community to come together and build social connections. Common interests and values can be shared through sports, bringing people together to overcome differences and reduce intolerance. The webinar will address several issues connected to sports and refugees:
- What is the role of sports in integrating refugees and immigrants into communities, trying to achieve
cultural immersion and build useful skills? - Which problems, difficulties and challenges these programs are faced with?
- What are the best strategies, attitudes and practices when working with refugees?
- Which kind of support sports instructors need, if they offer sports to refugee children and young adults,
in different institutional setting? - What motivates the administrators and instructors to engage with refugee/immigrant communities?
Speakers:
- Dr. Ayat Jebril | Social Work Professor, Yarmouk University | Jordan
- Seren Fryatt | Executive Director, Life and Change Experienced through Sports | U.S.
- Luma Mufleh | CEO and Founder, Fugees Family | U.S.
- Nick Sore | Senior Refugee Sports Coordinator, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) |Switzerland
- Edema Wilson | District Sports Officer and Refugee Education Coordinator | Uganda
This webinar is part of World Learning’s International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) —Virtual Together
program, a series of virtual events, launched in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. ISPI is a program of U.S.
Department of State’s Sports Diplomacy division.
The series aims to engage the sports community globally, to creatively problem solve, share digital tools and work together, follow health guidance, and continue to promote active, healthy lifestyles both physically and mentally throughout this crisis. Additional modules related to these objectives are being developed and will be announced.
The webinar is produced by Digital Communication Network, a diverse professional coalition in the digital space.