The International University of Monaco (IUM – a member of the French INSEEC group) and the University for Peace in Costa Rica, mandated by the United Nations, will join forces under the leadership of “Peace and Sport, the Organization for Peace through Sport” to develop an innovative Master’s degree dedicated to Sustainable Peace through Sport (Master in Sustainable Peace through Sport – MSPS).
The launch of this completely new program was announced this week during the 4th International Peace and Sport Forum, which took place in the Principality of Monaco, under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, in the presence of 500 sports, political, and economic figures.
“Engineers of Peace through Sport”, a profession of the future.
The MSPS will start in September 2011. This multidisciplinary 10-month program will train qualified “Engineers of Peace through Sport”. Participants will learn how to optimize the potential of sport as a strategic tool for building and promoting sustainable peace worldwide, especially in post-conflict zones and regions affected by extreme poverty and lack of social cohesion.
Open to recent graduates and executives in training, the joint Master’s degree from Peace and Sport / IUM / UPeace will combine solid academic education on the business world, the sports universe, and peacekeeping processes, along with the learning of field skills.
The courses will notably allow graduates to:
Develop operational skills in peacebuilding through sport,
Understand sports diplomacy,
Activate international organizations, NGOs, civil society, and local actors to create cooperation among stakeholders and promote strategic partnerships,
Define, implement, execute, and evaluate sports programs,
Raise funds to finance initiatives.
“Sport is a powerful potential engine for establishing and maintaining sustainable peace in the world,” said Joël Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport. “To make this goal a reality, it takes personnel with a complete understanding of the sports world and an in-depth knowledge of peace mechanisms. This expertise must be combined with strong field experience. Mastering these two dimensions will allow the creation of a qualified body of Engineers of Peace through Sport. This is the entire ambition of this unique Master’s degree that Peace and Sport is proud to launch with its partners, UPeace and IUM. Graduates of the MSPS program will be able to be the pivots of political cooperation and operational coordination crucial to making peace through sport a reality.”
“The University for Peace is thrilled to be a partner in this brand-new program. We offer a large range of degrees in the fields of peace, international law, human rights, equality, the role of media, environment, development, and responsible management. We are convinced that sport can be a key element in inciting young people to positively engage in their communities and, ultimately, to build or strengthen peace,” concluded Mr. John J. Maresca, Rector of UPeace.
About PEACE AND SPORT
“Peace and Sport, The Organization for Peace through Sport” is an international, neutral, and apolitical organization.
Peace and Sport places sport and its structuring values at the heart of local development projects conducted with communities in crisis worldwide. Operating in post-conflict areas, zones of extreme poverty, or regions lacking social cohesion, Peace and Sport makes sport a vehicle of tolerance, respect, sharing, and citizenship in the service of Sustainable Peace.
Supported by governments, global sports governance bodies, international organizations, major international private companies, and international champions, Peace and Sport creates synergies among different actors to carry out four types of activities:
- The organization of an Annual International Forum,
- A Resource Center on Peace and Sport,
- Peace and Sport Awards recognizing individuals and initiatives contributing to peace,
- On-the-Ground Projects, concrete actions carried out in various crisis regions around the world.
Peace and Sport currently operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi, Israel-Palestine, Timor-Leste, Colombia, and Haiti.
Peace and Sport was created by Joël Bouzou, the current President of the organization. Mr. Bouzou is an Olympic Medalist, World Champion in Modern Pentathlon, and current Secretary General of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM). He is also an Advisor to H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
About the University for Peace
The University for Peace is rooted in the Charter of the United Nations, following the resolution 35/55 of the General Assembly in December 1980 to support the security and peace objectives of the United Nations. Its mission is “to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace, to promote understanding, tolerance, and peace among human beings, to stimulate cooperation among peoples, and to contribute to reducing obstacles and threats to world peace and progress.”
The headquarters of the UPEACE network is in Costa Rica, the country that initiated the establishment of the University. UPEACE’s activities include teaching, research, distance learning, and promotion. The UPEACE network includes offices in Addis Ababa, Geneva, Manila, and New York, as well as partnership agreements with many institutions worldwide. The Costa Rica campus serves as a laboratory for UPEACE to enrich its curriculum and educational programs.
UPEACE currently offers nine master’s degrees and seven special programs. It has 200 students from 60 countries.
