The Youth Charter, a pioneering social legacy organisation dedicated to sport for development and peace, has issued a statement urging greater cohesion, accountability, and youth inclusion in the global delivery of sport-based initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In response to the outcomes of the recent IOC 355 Sustainability Summit, the Youth Charter welcomed the ambition and progress presented through the IOC’s Olympism365 programme, with over 550 projects across 175 countries. However, the Charter emphasised that meaningful impact can only be achieved through unified action, public transparency, and intergenerational collaboration.
“Potential alone is not progress. The Olympic Movement must now shift from vision to delivery—co-creating with youth, investing in communities, and reporting with integrity,” said Geoff Thompson, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter.
Key Observations Highlighted in the Youth Charter Response:
- Leadership without Local Alignment: Only 10% of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have public sustainability strategies, revealing a critical gap between global vision and national implementation.
- Lack of Transparent Reporting: The IOC has not released a sustainability report since 2019. Without annual, independent reporting, public trust and measurable accountability are compromised.
- Safeguarding & Mental Health: Positive strides were announced, but implementation at scale—particularly in the Global South—remains inconsistent and underfunded.
- Non-binding Targets: The withdrawal of Brisbane 2032’s “climate positive” goal raises urgent questions about the enforceability of sustainability commitments.
- Absence of Youth Voice: Despite sport’s potential to empower young people, youth were largely absent from the Summit’s strategic focus and decision-making platforms.
Youth Charter Global Call 2 Action – Five-Point Plan:
- Unified SDG Framework: Embed the UN SDGs across all Olympic bodies with measurable targets and community accountability.
- Annual Impact Reporting: Commit to public, independent sustainability reporting across all levels of the Olympic Movement.
- Youth and Community Engagement Taskforce: Establish a cross-sector platform to amplify youth voice in strategy, delivery, and evaluation.
- Local Ecosystem Collaboration: Strengthen links between NOCs and local education, health, and community networks to ensure inclusive implementation.
- Investment in Social Legacy Infrastructure: Redirect long-term funding into community-based sport infrastructure, youth employment, and safeguarding systems.
“Young people are not just spectators or beneficiaries. They are the change-makers. The time has come to engage them as equal partners in shaping sport’s global impact,” added Thompson.
As the world prepares for Paris 2024 and looks toward the final phase of Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the Youth Charter is calling on the IOC, National Olympic Committees, and all sport stakeholders to recommit to the true spirit of Olympism—as a force for health, peace, equity, and sustainable change.
