Apr 6, 2022 (Tel Aviv) – Thirteen sports organizations committed to social change across Israel and representing 25,000 youth in 384 locations, came together at the Daniel Rowing Center on the banks of Tel Aviv’s Yarkon River to launch the national Sports for Social Change Coalition between Jews and Arabs in Israel and celebrate the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace.

The event marks the power of sport to bring people together, to bridge differences and to promote a shared society. The sports for social change organizations reflect the diversity of Israeli society – Jewish, Arab, religious, secular, Ultra-Orthodox. They rowed together in Dragon boats on the Yarkon River. The Dragon boats symbolize collaboration, rowing in unison towards a shared goal.

Following the rowing competition, the members met to launch working groups as a first step in their effort to harness sport to address complex social issues in Israeli society, such as divisions and tensions between different communities, at-risk youth, and gender inequality. The working groups focused on government relations, volunteers, resource development, marketing and social media, and knowledge sharing.

About the Sports for Social Change Coalition

The wave of Israeli-Palestinian and internal Jewish and Arab strife in Israel in May 2021 and the impact of Covid-19 on grassroots organizations have led to unprecedented collaboration, including the launch of the first Sports for Social Change Coalition on a national scale.

The Sports for Social Change Coalition, a growing movement of organizations, currently representing 25,000 youth in 384 locations in Israel, is identifying the needs of the field and finding new solutions for all stakeholders (organizations, funders, government and corporate sectors, academia and community) for greater collective impact.

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