Can Sport Help Promote Peace?

The United Nations has declared 2005 the International Year of Sport and Physical Education Kofi Annan says: "Sport is an international language that can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status." "The International Year of Sport and Physical Education (IYSPE 2005) provides a unique opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the importance of sport in society and on how sport and physical education programmes can be used as tools to help combat challenges such as extreme poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS and help achieve the Millennium Development Goals." What do you think about the potential of sport to promote peace, to bring people of different backgrounds together? Mary By the way, if you are organizing an event which you believe fits the criteria of the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, you can contact the UN for sponsorship (no $$ though, just their blessings!) I got it for my Strait of Messina swim!