Scoring for people and the planet
Thursday, April 6, 2023
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UEFA highlights football solutions to social and environmental sustainability challenges at UN event marking 2023 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
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On the occasion of the 10th edition of the International Day of Sport for Sustainable Development and Peace on 6 April 2023, the United Nations convened a virtual event titled “Scoring for People and the Planet”. The discussions zoomed in on the role of sport in promoting peace and social and environmental sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the event, Michele Uva, Director of UEFA’s Social & Environmental Sustainability Division, shared the organisation’s work toward inspiring, activating and accelerating collective action in support of sustainable development across European football.
In his remarks, he underlined UEFA’s approach to leveraging its Football Sustainability Strategy 2030 as a roadmap to building impactful and measurable actions to advance circular economy principles, integrate sustainability principles in the life cycle of football infrastructure, and reduce the environmental footprint of events.
Michele Uva, UEFA Director of Social & Environmental Sustainability
"The transition to a thriving, green economy is imperative and in UEFA we want to be part of the solution through long-term investments and a strategic approach to sustainability challenges across European football. In partnership with our member associations and many other football stakeholders, we are driving socially responsible and environmentally friendly actions and practices to preserve the long-term viability of our sport.”
Uva also highlighted the collaborative work ongoing with the Football for the Goals Initiative, set up by the United Nations in July 2022. As founding member, UEFA is part of a network of over 130 football organisations collectively championing awareness and action in support of the SDGs.
Other speakers featured in the panel discussion included most notably Javier Zanetti, former professional football player and Vice-President of Inter Milan; H.E. Mr. Ronaldo Costa Filho, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil at the UN; and Jon Flynn, Chief Technology Officer, Sport, at Microsoft.
