Barbadians are encouraged to join the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) to raise their white cards for peace this Saturday, April 5, at Deighton Griffith Secondary School from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as it celebrates the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) 2025.
Since 2014, sports federations worldwide have recognised April 6 as a day to acknowledge the power of sport in fostering positive change, bridging barriers, and transcending boundaries.
Director of the National Olympic Academy, Janelle Denny, said this year’s multi-sport event, which caters to children ages 8 to 18, is themed ‘Levelling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion’.
“Our participants will be drawn from National Federations and various communities across the island, and we intend, through this activity, to promote equal opportunities and inclusive sport for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or race. The goal of IDSDP is also to highlight the role of sport as a unifying force that creates more equitable societies while serving as a powerful platform for dialogue to tackle prejudices and inspire positive change worldwide,” Ms. Denny stated.
Several national federations (NFs) will also be present to interact with and teach participants about their respective sports. These NFs include Archery, Badminton, Cycling, E-sports, Fencing, Golf, Karate-Do, Road Tennis, Skateboarding, and Taekwondo. Attendees will also be able to participate in an egg and spoon race, a football-themed bean bag toss, an obstacle course, Jenga, tag rugby, and tug-of-war, among other games. The event will end with an aerobics session that everyone is welcome to join.
For athletes who cannot make it to Deighton Griffith Secondary School, the BOA encourages them to support the goals of IDSDP and raise their white card for peace at their various matches over the weekend. Persons are encouraged to take a photo of themselves holding up a #WhiteCard, share it on social media, and tag the BOA @olympicbb.