Across conflict-affected communities, youth often stand at the forefront of change. But these spaces can extend beyond protests and negotiations to include football fields, theatre stages and even dance floors. As the 2025 Peacebuilding Fund Thematic Review on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) shows, sport, arts and culture are more than leisure activities: they’re vital tools for healing, building trust and fostering peace.
From culinary contests in Niger to music-led reconciliation in Uganda, youth-led cultural expression has proven to be an effective avenue for dialogue. In Uganda, a local artist’s song about community peace soared to the top of the national charts, spreading messages of hope more effectively than traditional campaigns ever could. Meanwhile, in Colombia, arts and music served as vehicles for community reflection, encouraging youth to shape narratives of peace and belonging in the aftermath of widespread protests.
Sport, in particular, has emerged as a catalyst for transformation. In Liberia, sporting events were used to ease tensions and reassure youth about the goals of local peacebuilding projects. In Sierra Leone, a football gala brought together youth from rival cliques and gangs – individuals often seen as disruptors – who instead took on new roles as partners in rebuilding their communities. In Sambang, The Gambia, sport became the literal playing field for reconciliation: two rival communities, divided even in football, united to form “Sambang United". The spirit of cooperation, both on and off the field, gained even more momentum when this united team began wining their matches.
Practitioners across the Peacebuilding Fund’s global network stress a key message: arts and sport aren’t “add-ons” to peacebuilding but are core strategies. These mediums offer low-barrier, high-impact entry points for marginalized youth, particularly those excluded from formal political or economic participation. They also enable intergenerational and intercommunal dialogue in contexts where mistrust runs deep.
This case study underscores that youth inclusion in peacebuilding happens in spaces where real relationships, and trust, are built. By investing in creative, cultural and athletic expression, peacebuilders can unlock new pathways to healing and inclusion.
This is a case study taken from the 2025 Peacebuilding Fund Thematic Review on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). Explore the full YPS Thematic Review to see how these grassroots stories tie into broader recommendations for building inclusive, youth-led peace.
Suggested citation: "Creating unity through culture, sport and art ," United Nations University, UNU-CPR, 2025-06-04, https://unu.edu/cpr/article/creating-unity-through-culture-sport-and-art.
