Kick-Off Event of 7th UNESCO-chair „Sport for Development, Peace and Environment“ in Montreal

From left to right: Isabelle Marcotte, Vice-Dean of Research, Faculty of Science; Simona Safarikova, Professor at Palacky University, Czech Republic; Billy Graeff, Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil; Louise Poissant, Fonds de recherche du Québec; Karen Petry, Co-holder of the Chair and Professor at the German Sport University; Rector Stéphane Pallage; Professor Tegwen Gadais, Co-holder of the Chair; and Isabelle Fortier, Head of the UNESCO Team in Quebec City. Photo: Elias Touil

UNESCO Co-Chairholder Karen Petry and Administration Coordinator Alana Richardson travelled to Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in Montreal between the 11th and 15th August for an exciting week of UNESCO Chair activities.

The week consisted of an official launch of the chair at UQAM, a summer school and working meetings to plan the upcoming activities of the chair.

Official Launch Event

On August 12, 2025, Université du Québec à Montréal inaugurated its seventh UNESCO Chair, co-directed by Professor Tegwen Gadais and Professor Karen Petry.

The event showcased the chair by providing an overview of the principles and axes of the chair. The collaborative and interdisciplinary approach of the chair was highlighted by presenting the already conducted work and the upcoming activities. The event brought together researchers, students, NGOs, and policymakers from Montreal and surrounds.

Read the full article: https://actualites.uqam.ca/2025/une-nouvelle-chaire-unesco-sur-le-sport-comme-catalyseur-de-developpement/

Summer School

The first edition of the summer school took place on the 13th August. The program brought together PhD and Master’s students who presented research aligned with the Chair’s themes: gender and equity, health and education, environment and nature, peace and social cohesion. The Summer School also included an insightful “Decolonizing in Sports” workshop led by Luc Parlavecchio and Jennifer Brazeau of the Lanaudière Native Friendship Center (CAAL), which sparked valuable and thought-provoking discussions. It concluded with The Climate Fresk, a collaborative educational activity on climate change, where participants shared ideas and perspectives for future action.

Upcoming Plans

The working meetings were productive in developing plans for the next 12 months of the chair’s mandate. Plans include the development of a textbook about sport for development and peace, which will be a collaborative process with the scientific and advisory committee members. We also look forward to initiating transnational research projects to deepen the collaboration. The chair also plans to further imbed students in the work, by initiating a student network where students studying and researching in the field can connect with each other.