The Global Integration of Refugees Through Sport (IRTS) initiative is a comprehensive effort to utilize sport for the integration and well-being of forcibly displaced populations.
From June 2024 to June 2025, the Global IRTS project consortium conducted 36 major global stakeholder meetings and strengthened regional partnerships across Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and the Middle East. Laureus Sport for Good was honoured to chair the meetings of the Middle East Working Group, bringing together 9 organisations across Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The primary goals were to build consensus, develop a common approach, and establish online communities of practice in three key thematic areas: mental health, learning through play, and host community inclusion.
This collaborative work resulted in a tangible statement of commitment and a call to action for IRTS, which advocates for the inclusion and integration of refugees through sport, prioritizes the development of sport strategies for refugees, and recognizes the evidence-based impact of such programs.
In October 2025, the Global IRTS Conference, hosted by the MOVE Congress in Copenhagen, served as a pivotal event for this initiative. The conference brought together 899 participants from 62 countries and 210 organisations, emphasizing the urgent need to support the 123.2 million forcibly displaced people globally, including 42.7 million refugees, and highlighting sport as a powerful and cost-effective tool for this purpose. The event fostered stakeholder engagement, networking, and the sharing of best practices.
Crucially, the MOVE Congress provided the ideal platform to officially launch the statement of commitment and call for action. Organisations from all over the world were invited to sign this commitment and disseminate it among their networks, thereby amplifying its reach and impact. We also extend this invitation to you, the reader of this article, to sign the statement and help disseminate its important message.
Key sessions on October 31st addressed critical aspects of IRTS:
- Integration of Refugees through Sport (IRTS) – Realities and Opportunities: This session underscored sport's vital role in social inclusion, featuring personal insights from refugees and expert discussions on challenges and strategies for scaling up integration efforts.
- Safeguarding Sport: Protecting and Empowering Refugee Children: a panel discussion facilitated by - Laureus Sport for Good, focused on the vulnerability of refugee children in sports, detailing how to implement effective protection policies and engage stakeholders to create safe and empowering environments.
- Building Communities through Integration of Refugees through Sport (IRTS): This session explored how sport and physical activity contribute to mental well-being, social cohesion, and community engagement, stressing the importance of collective effort to create inclusive spaces that promote mutual respect and intercultural exchange.
The Global IRTS initiative represents an unprecedented multi-stakeholder partnership involving UN institutions, funding bodies, humanitarian organizations, and sporting bodies, all dedicated to ensuring that sport serves as a fundamental human right and a catalyst for the successful integration of refugees into new communities.
