Beyond Sport, the global initiative for social change backed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has opened its inaugural Beyond Sport Awards for entries.
There are 11 Award categories covering the entire sporting spectrum of corporate and social responsibility, change and philanthropy. A shortlist of entries will go before the Beyond Sport Judging Panel of Ambassadors, chaired by Tony Blair, who will choose the winner of each category.
The winners in eight categories will receive funding and long-term support to help them to become fully sustainable. All winners will be announced at the inaugural Beyond Sport Summit to be held in London on 8-9 July 2009.
“This is the first step towards our goal of recognising and supporting the most inspirational projects that use sport to drive a positive message,” said Tony Blair, Chairman of the Beyond Sport Ambassadors. “We look forward to receiving submissions from all corners of the world providing real working examples of sport’s unparalleled power as an instigator of social change.”
Groups and individuals from across the globe can enter their social change projects in the Beyond Sport Awards via www.beyondsport.org, the initiative’s community-driven website where ‘social entrepreneurs’ in sport can also share their ideas and insights with each other.
The announcement of the opening of the entry process coincided with the unveiling of a new Official Partner for the initiative in the form of Barclays Spaces for Sports. Barclays Spaces for Sports has already opened 200 sustainable sports sites across the UK, benefiting more than half a million people. Following its success to date it has now expanded globally.
The programme has operated in the UK via a successful partnership between Barclays, the Football Foundation and Groundwork.
