Laureus Sport for Good Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation was founded in 2000 by Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz
, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone
. It celebrates the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good and uses the passion that sport inspires to effect social change
across the globe.
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is an apolitical charitable initiative that uses the positive influence of sport to tackle society's most pressing challenges around the globe, supporting projects on every continent. Laureus was created by people who believe sport can change the world. Among these is the Patron of Laureus, Nelson Mandela
, who in 2000 uttered the words which have become the raison d'être of Laureus. He said: 'Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where was previously only despair'. Founded with the support of Daimler and Richemont, Laureus is composed of three core elements: the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the Laureus World Sports Awards
and the Laureus World Sports Academy. Collectively they celebrate the extraordinary achievements of athletes past and present and harness the power of sport to promote social change.
The ultimate aim of Laureus is to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and highlight its worldwide mission to utilise the power of sport to address social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development
initiatives, using sport as a tool for social change. The Foundation is active every day, promoting and supporting initiatives that use sport as the means to get children off the streets, away from crime and juvenile delinquency
, off drugs, back into schools and working towards positive, productive lives. projects tackle a range of social issues: from gang violence in the United States and Hong Kong to poverty in India; slum degradation in Kenya and Brazil to the HIV/Aids
epidemic in Uganda.
Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and Laureus Friends & Ambassadors are at work year-round, planning, implementing and overseeing the Foundation's charity operations across the globe. As Edwin Moses
, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, says: 'Everyone at Laureus shares a common belief that sport is a universal language which has the power to speak to people across the globe, whatever their colour or creed.'
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
. It celebrates the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good and uses the passion that sport inspires to effect social change
Social change
Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
across the globe.
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is an apolitical charitable initiative that uses the positive influence of sport to tackle society's most pressing challenges around the globe, supporting projects on every continent. Laureus was created by people who believe sport can change the world. Among these is the Patron of Laureus, Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, who in 2000 uttered the words which have become the raison d'être of Laureus. He said: 'Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where was previously only despair'. Founded with the support of Daimler and Richemont, Laureus is composed of three core elements: the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the Laureus World Sports Awards
Laureus World Sports Awards
The Laureus World Sports Awards are awarded annually to sportspeople who have been outstanding during the previous year. The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and...
and the Laureus World Sports Academy. Collectively they celebrate the extraordinary achievements of athletes past and present and harness the power of sport to promote social change.
The ultimate aim of Laureus is to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and highlight its worldwide mission to utilise the power of sport to address social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development
Community development
Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....
initiatives, using sport as a tool for social change. The Foundation is active every day, promoting and supporting initiatives that use sport as the means to get children off the streets, away from crime and juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
, off drugs, back into schools and working towards positive, productive lives. projects tackle a range of social issues: from gang violence in the United States and Hong Kong to poverty in India; slum degradation in Kenya and Brazil to the HIV/Aids
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
epidemic in Uganda.
Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and Laureus Friends & Ambassadors are at work year-round, planning, implementing and overseeing the Foundation's charity operations across the globe. As Edwin Moses
Edwin Moses
Edwin Corley Moses is an American track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals and set the world record in his event four times...
, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, says: 'Everyone at Laureus shares a common belief that sport is a universal language which has the power to speak to people across the globe, whatever their colour or creed.'