HumanitySport Education
Sport-based life skills for young people affected by conflict and displacement. Building resilience, identity, and agency across Africa and Europe.
Programme originated within the Pontifical Council for Culture, Vatican City
Sport-based life skills for young people affected by conflict and displacement. Building resilience, identity, and agency across Africa and Europe.
Programme originated within the Pontifical Council for Culture, Vatican City
The Programme
Humanity Sport Education (HSE) is a sport-for-development programme conceived within the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Culture. It uses the universal language of sport to reach young people in underserved and conflict-affected communities — building the life skills they need to navigate identity, displacement, and adversity.
Two modules covering six values through athlete case studies and facilitated discussion. Available in four languages, adapted for three audience tracks: African, Balkan, and Ukrainian.
Trained peer leaders in Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana who facilitate grassroots engagement. Model deployed by UNICEF in a refugee camp in Rwanda.
Online platform connecting young people across geographies and reinforcing curriculum messages. Platform rebuild planned for 2026–2027.
Track Record
Operational across Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and Rwanda from 2017 to 2019. Facilitator Guide developed with an international advisory panel including Oxford, Seattle University, ESPN, Scholas, and Centro Sportivo Italiano. UNICEF deployed the programme in a refugee camp in Rwanda. The online community has been maintained through the pandemic dormancy period.
Two-Track Model
HSE's methodology is conflict-specific, not geography-specific. Identity, resilience, and agency are universal needs of youth navigating hostile environments.
Core Programme
European Extension
Curriculum Depth
Each module uses real athlete stories to explore values like respect, resilience, and compassion. The curriculum has been fully adapted with culturally relevant case studies and discussion questions for each audience.
| Theme | Africa | Balkan | Ukraine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assertiveness & Resilience | Sadio Mané | Luka Modrić | Oleksandr Usyk |
| Racism & Discrimination | Vinícius Júnior | Edin Džeko | Oleksandr Usyk |
| Religious Discrimination | Amla, Muhammad, Salah | Džeko, Muhammad | Usyk, Muhammad, Salah |
| Gender Discrimination | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | Williams + Svitolina |
Our Six Values
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