© 2026 Sport at the Service of Humanity, Inc. All rights reserved.
Faith is perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of humankind- the belief that we exist and function for a purpose; and thatwe can live in a way that enhances not only our lives, but alsothe lives of those around us.
Sport, in its simplest form, is one of the most extraordinary ofhuman activities.
Sport imposes rules that point to a faircontest, equal opportunities for all, entertainment andenjoyment, and provides participants with the opportunity tostretch their physical and mental limits, share common valuesand experiences.
With all the challenges and issues currently impacting both Faith and Sport today, it is timely and necessary for Faith and Sport to remind and re-awaken people to the massive powerfor good that these two pillars of human life can provide.
Pope Francis
Taking inspiration from Pope Francis’ view of sport as a metaphor for life, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture under the leadership of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi conceptualized the idea of hosting a global conference on Faith and Sport at the Vatican. Named “Sport at the Service of Humanity: The First Global Conference on Faith & Sport” – the idea is to convene a gathering of global leaders and influencers from the world of faith, sport, business and other relevant organizations – to discuss, in partnership, the inter-connectedness of Faith and Sport and to explore the scope and limits of the combination. The intention is to produce actionable results that can be put to use for the betterment of the faith and sport communities.
In order to turn the idea from concept to reality, the Vatican invited a select group of 30 individuals representing the various stakeholder groups to help develop the strategy, shape the agenda and provide ideas to bring the concept to life. The 30-member Advisory Committee participated in a 2-day “meeting of the minds” in September 2015 at the Vatican.
In addition, Cardinal Ravasi engaged a core group of sport and marketing experts and formed a Management Team – to work with and support the Pontifical Council for Culture in the area of strategy and partnerships.
“It will be an occasion to come together to face up to the great challenges of contemporary society, which are shared interests for the world’s sporting and religious communities: how to live with respect for all, with increased understanding of each other’s traditions and values, more full and healthy lives, more integrated communities. Sport is also of such fundamental importance for education, allowing young people especially to open up to the trials of life, putting themselves to the test, crossing boundaries, meeting opponents on a fair playing field while striving to the best they can be, in some sense aiming for the Transcendent.”
CARDINAL RAVASI
© 2026 Sport at the Service of Humanity, Inc. All rights reserved.