Conference will explore how sports can make positive change in the world

(WASHINGTON — November 1, 2019) Today, Georgetown University announced that it will host the Sport at the Service of Humanity (SSH) Conference on November 6-8, 2019 on the university’s Washington, DC campus. The conference, co-sponsored by the Vatican Pontifical Council for Culture, is designed to advance the meaningful work of the Vatican’s Sport at the Service of Humanity initiative. The conference will focus on three pillars – Inspiration, Inclusion and Involvement – and will provide opportunities for attendees to reflect in both breakout sessions, and through excursions around the Washington, DC area.

“It is wonderful to have this opportunity to come together and reflect on the many ways that sport builds community, enriches our lives, and strengthens our connections with one another, stretching around the globe,” says Georgetown President John J. DeGioia. “We are deeply grateful to all our partners in this effort, and especially the Sport at the Service of Humanity Foundation, Cardinal Ravasi, and the Pontifical Council for Culture, for their leadership and support in making this very special gathering possible.”

Inspired by His Holiness Pope Francis, Sport at the Service of Humanity is the only global sport and multi-faith movement. It was launched in October of 2016, when the Pontifical Council for Culture hosted its first global conference on Faith & Sport at the Vatican. The inaugural conference resulted in the endorsement of the movement’s Declaration of Principles –  Compassion, Love, Respect, Enlightenment, Balance and Joy – six faith-based values to serve as guiding principles in sport and in life.

“All those engaged in sports must become models to create bridges over the valleys of ethnic division, of socio-cultural separation, of ideological opposition,” said His Eminence Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture of the Holy See. “I can think of no better place than Georgetown to explore how the power of faith and sports can work together for the common good.”

The Georgetown conference is expected to bring together speakers and attendees who are leaders in sports, education, faith and media. The speakers, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Sir John Key and Aimee Mullins, former American paralympic athlete, Stranger Things Actress, model and Georgetown alumna, to explore how the power of sport can affect positive change in the world.

The conference is by-invitation only. For more information, or to request press credentials, call the Georgetown Office of Strategic Communications at 202-687-4328 or email gucomm@georgetown.edu.

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About Georgetown University: 

Established in 1789 by Archbishop John Carroll, Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. Located in Washington DC, Doha, Qatar, and around the world, Georgetown University is a leading academic and research institution, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. For more information about Georgetown University, visit Georgetown.edu or connect with Georgetown on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

About Sport at the Service of Humanity:

Inspired by His Holiness Pope Francis, Sport at the Service of Humanity (SSH) is the only global sport and multi-faith movement with a vision to see a world where people “live like they play” –  combining their passion for sport with the values of faith to serve humanity. Sport at the Service of Humanity was launched in October 2016 when the Pontifical Council for Culture hosted the first global conference on Faith & Sport at the Vatican. This gathering brought together global thought leaders and influencers from the world of faith , sports, business and other sectors to discuss how faith and sport could work together for the betterment of the world. For more information, visit sportforhumanity.com and follow us @sport4humanity #LiveLikeYouPlay #Sport4Humanity