Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel joined Dan Doyle at a historic press conference in
Rhode Island on April 17, 2007 to announce the World Youth Peace Summit.

“THIS INSPIRED IDEA WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON
WORLD PEACE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.”
-NOBEL LAUREATE ELIE WIESEL AT AN APRIL 17, 2007 PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT

The Institute for International Sport works with youth on a global scale to create a more peaceful world. One way the Institute has worked to achieve this goal is by building, through the Scholar Athlete Games, an extraordinary network of globally minded youth who can serve as humanitarian leaders and peace brokers in their home countries and communities. The culmination of the Institute’s quarter century of work in this area will be the World Youth Peace Summit in 2011, to be celebrated in conjunction with the Institute’s 25th anniversary. In partnership with the United Nations and other renowned organizations, the event will bring together thousands of alumni from the Institute’s World Scholar-Athlete Games and United States Scholar-Athlete Games, as well as other Institute Scholar-Athlete Games programs. The United Nations, a partnering organization of the Institute, as well as other partner organizations, will nominate additional participants. The program, to be held from June 26-July 7, 2011, will also encompass the administration of the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games for scholar-athletes and scholar-artists ages 15-19.

The key objective of the World Youth Peace Summit is to breakdown barriers to world peace, and create a network of leaders who will be linked together into the future.

FULFILLING A PROMISE

“THE EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS OF THE SCHOLAR ATHLETE GAMES HAS INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST COMPELLING GROUP OF YOUNG LEADERS IN THE WORLD, REPRESENTING EVERY NATION. IT IS A NETWORK OF YOUNG LEADERS AS UNIQUE AS IT IS EXTRAORDINARY.”
-ALAN HASSENFELD, CHAIR, INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL SPORT SCHOLAR-ATHLETE GAMES PROGRAM CHAIR, HASBRO, INC.

When the World Youth Peace Summit convenes in 2011, The Institute for International Sport will fulfill a promise made by Institute for International Sport Founder and Executive Director, Dan Doyle, at the inaugural World Scholar-Athlete Games in 1993. The Scholar-Athlete Games is an event that has since brought together scholar-athletes and scholar-artists from 192 countries with the goal of building global awareness, leadership, conflict-resolution skills and good sportsmanship. At the closing ceremonies of the inaugural Games in 1993, scholar-athletes and scholar-artists from around the world heard Mr. Doyle say that the World Scholar-Athlete Games would not be the end of the bonds forged between them and The Institute for International Sport. Participants were reminded by Mr. Doyle that a key objective of the Scholar-Athlete Games is to create a network of gifted young leaders who share a common interest in world peace, and that in the future, they would all be invited to participate in a major reunion where they would rekindle the spirit of friendship and their hope for a peaceful world. Mr. Doyle has delivered the same message at every Institute sponsored Scholar-Athlete Games since 1993. The “major reunion” will become reality in the form of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit.

DATES

The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit, which will include the administration of the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games, will take place from June 26- July 7, 2011 in the following manner:

• The World Scholar-Athlete Games, for scholar-athletes and scholar-artists ages 15-19, will take place from June 26-July 2, 2011.
• The World Youth Peace Summit, which will include all participants in the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games, will convene on July 1. Participants in the World Youth Peace Summit arriving on July 1 will take part in a series of Scholar-Athlete Games activities on July 1, and participate in the Games closing ceremonies on July 2. July 1 Summit activities will include a major “peace run” as well as an opening Summit keynote address, to be delivered by a world leader. (All speakers will be announced in 2010).
• The closing ceremonies of the World Scholar-Athlete Games will take place on July 2, 2011. All in attendance, including those who have arrived on July 1 for the World Youth Peace Summit, will take part in closing ceremonies.
• Full-scale activities for the World Youth Peace Summit will begin on July 3, and extend through the closing address on July 7.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit program, which will encompass the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games, will involve the following number of participants:

• June 26-July 2: The World Scholar-Athlete Games. The 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games will welcome a total of 2000 scholar-athletes and scholar-artists, ages 15-19, representing approximately 160 countries. In addition, there will be approximately 1200 volunteers. The entire group of 3200 will stay on through the World Youth Peace Summit.
• July 1-July 7: The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit. In addition to the 3200 participants in the World Scholar-Athlete Games, other participants in the World Youth Peace Summit will arrive on July 1. The following delegations will be represented at the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit:
• Graduates of the Scholar-Athlete Games - dating back to 1993.
• U.N. nominees.
• Peace Corps Nominees.
• National Association of High School Scholars nominees.
• The Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University nominees.
• Host Community Nominees.
• College/University Nominees from throughout the world.
• All countries will be afforded the opportunity to send other adult delegates.
• An important reaction to the announcement of the World Youth Peace Summit has been significant contact from “baby boomers,” expressing their interest in being part of the Summit. The World Youth Peace Summit will welcome, as volunteers, participants and facilitators, a number of individuals representing “the baby boomer generation” and its strong focus on world peace.

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

The total number of participants, including the participants in the World Scholar-Athlete Games and the World Youth Peace Summit, will be dependent upon the host venue. If the host venue is able to accommodate 10,000 total participants, the Institute and the host site will accept 10,000 total participants. If this host venue is able to accommodate 15,000 or more total participants, then 15,000 or more total participants will be accepted. The final number will be determined in conjunction with the host site.

A KEY ELEMENT: INTERNET VIEWING

A key element of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will not only be the “live” activities, but a well-planned Internet viewing program that will provide all who are unable to attend with the ability to participate in the event online.

2011 WORLD SCHOLAR-ATHLETE GAMES QUICK FACTS

• Dates: June 26-July 2.
• Ages: 15-19 as of July 1, 2011.
• Activities: Baseball, Basketball, Chess, Golf, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Rugby, Soccer, Squash, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball.
• Cultural Activities: Art, Choir, Culinary Arts, Dance, Photography, Symphony, Theatre, Writing/Poetry.
• Past Scholar-Athlete Games Speakers: Past Scholar-Athlete Games speakers include President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Senator George Mitchell, Senator Bill Bradley, Chinese Parliamentarian and Olympic medalist Chi Cheng, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Sir Roger Bannister. Speakers at the 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games will include General Colin Powell, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, Senator George Mitchell, famed environmentalist Claes Nobel and acclaimed novelist Mary-Ann Tirone Smith. Visit the Institute’s website at www.internationalsport.com to review the entire list of past Scholar-Athlete Games speakers.
• Number of Scholar-Athlete and Scholar-Artist Participants: 2000
• Number of volunteers: 1200
• Number of Countries to be represented: 160

2011 WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT QUICK FACTS

• Dates: July 1-7, 2011.
• Ages: The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will welcome participants of all ages.
• An extraordinary network: The Institute for International Sport has created what many feel is the most unique and compelling network of young leaders in the world- both in terms of number of individuals, as well as countries represented. By 2011, there will be approximately 18,000 “graduates” of the Scholar-Athlete Games, representing every country in the world.
• Key Objective- Becoming a “Peace Broker”: An important objective of the World Youth Peace Summit is to foster among the participants the commitment to become true “peace brokers” by returning to their home communities and working in a variety of ways toward this goal. One of the important elements of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will be to empower the participants to set up a variety of social entrepreneurship ventures - all of which will create a series of “pathways to peace.” The end result will be thousands of gifted young people and adults returning to their home communities armed with a sense of idealism, and a practical knowledge of how to work effectively toward lasting peace.
• Speakers: The Summit will host, as major speakers, some of the most renowned world leaders. Past Scholar-Athlete Games speakers include President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. The 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games has already received commitments from such acclaimed peace brokers as General Colin Powell, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Elie Wiesel, Senator George Mitchell, famed environmentalist Claes Nobel (of the family which established the Nobel Prizes) and Vint Cerf, one of the true founding fathers of the Internet and recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will gather the very finest experts to address various “pathways to peace.”
• Making the Most of the Internet: The Institute will make prudent use of the Internet to ensure that individuals who are unable to personally attend will be able to participate.
• A Five-Year Cycle: The World Youth Peace Summit will take place every five years in conjunction with key Institute for International Sport anniversary dates. (The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will be held in conjunction with the Institute’s 25th anniversary.)
• Rigorous Program with Lasting Impact: The objective of the World Youth Peace Summit is not merely a gathering of goodwill, but a well-planned program that will require the participants to do significant preliminary research and preparation. During the event, the Institute will provide the participants with the tools to become true peace brokers. Most importantly, the Institute will structure the program to ensure lasting links between participants in the future.
• Impediments to Peace: Yet another objective will be for the participants to carefully analyze the various impediments to peace. In 2009, Dan Doyle and members of the academic partnership will publish position papers on:
1. Impediments to Peace
2. Pathways to Peace
• Partners: Along with the host college/community, the Institute will enlist the aid of “partners.” Partners will include a special “academic partnership” involving distinguished colleges and universities, as well as philanthropic organizations. These academic partners will work together to develop the curriculum for the event.
• Cultural Component: The 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will afford participants with myriad opportunities to contribute to the success of the event. Following the tradition of the World Scholar-Athlete Games, participants will be afforded the opportunity to submit:
  • Poems
  • Position papers on impediments to peace and pathways to peace.
  • Works of Art.
  One of the many objectives of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will be to produce a series of documents that will serve as the basis for future discussion and action in a variety of areas associated with world peace. One such document will be a monograph that will be published following the Summit. The monograph will include poems and position papers presented at the Summit.
• Preparation: An important element of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit will be the significant preparation expected of each participant. Prior to arriving, participants will be asked to write a position paper on one key area of World Peace. In addition, all participants will take part in pre-event training regarding how to develop a social entrepreneurism project that will foster world peace.
• Participant Training During the Event: Training during the World Youth Peace Summit will involve a series of workshops on how to create a social entrepreneurial project aimed at world peace. A key element will be an extensive follow up educational program that will afford all participants with the opportunity to stay in regular touch with the World Youth Peace Summit, and receive advice as they move forward with their ideas in their respective communities.

HISTORY OF THE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE GAMES

The World Scholar-Athlete Games was conceived by Dan Doyle when he was studying at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University. The inaugural World Scholar-Athlete Games took place from June 20-July 1, 1993. Senator Bill Bradley served as honorary chair and 108 countries and all 50 states sent delegations to this extraordinary festival of sport and culture. The inaugural World Scholar-Athlete Games was hailed by the media, and most importantly, by the participants, as one of the most successful first-time international events ever held.

As a result of the success of the World Scholar-Athlete Games, the Institute received a federal grant to replicate the Scholar-Athlete Games concept in Rhode Island. In June 1995, the Institute administered the first Rhode Island Scholar-Athlete Games for elementary and middle school students. Since 1995, over 4500 Rhode Island students have participated in RISAG.

Another result of the 1993 World Scholar-Athlete Games was a separate grant the Institute received to replicate the Scholar-Athlete Games concept in Belfast, Northern Ireland as part of the ongoing peace process. The "Belfast Scholar-Athlete Games - The Olympiad" was held in August 1995. One hundred and twenty young men and women- an approximately equal number of Catholics and Protestants - participated. The success of the pilot program resulted in a full-scale 1996 "Ireland Scholar-Athlete Games." This event, which took place from August 10-17, 1996 at the University of Ulster in Belfast, involved the participation of over 400 students from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, comprising an approximately equal number of Protestants and Catholics, along with a strong American Scholar-Athlete delegation. The second full-scale Ireland Scholar-Athlete Games was held at the University of Ulster in Belfast from August 14-22, 1998. Over 500 young people, including an approximately equal number of Protestant and Catholic youth from Northern Ireland and delegations from the United States and Sri Lanka took part. The third Ireland Scholar-Athlete Games took place from August 4-11, 2000 at the University of Ulster. Over 500 young people from six countries participated and, once again, the program was judged a great success.

From June 22-July 2, 2000, the Institute, in conjunction with Tel Aviv University in Israel, hosted the first Mediterranean Middle East Scholar-Athlete Games. Over 300 youngsters from 15 countries participated. The Games were a major success and a highlight was a keynote address delivered by former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

From June 21-July 2, 1997, the Institute hosted the second World Scholar-Athlete Games at the University of Rhode Island. Approximately 2000 young people from 147 countries and all 50 states participated in this program. The 147-country delegation made the 1997 World Scholar-Athlete Games the second largest international sport and cultural event in the world that year in terms of countries represented. The Institute hosted the inaugural United States Scholar-Athlete Games from June 26-July 2, 1999. Approximately 1600 scholar-athletes from all 50 states participated.

The Third World Scholar-Athlete Games took place from June 23-July 2, 2001 at the University of Rhode Island. One-hundred and fifty-one countries and all 50 states sent delegations to this event, making the 2001 Games the largest sport or cultural event in the world that year in terms of numbers of countries participating. The Institute for International Sport administered a highly successful European Scholar-Athlete Games in August 2002 at the University of Limerick in Ireland, and an equally successful 2003 United States Scholar-Athlete Games at The University of Rhode Island. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivered the keynote address at the 2003 Games.

Two thousand four hundred participants from 157 countries made the 2006 World Scholar-Athlete Games, which was celebrated in conjunction with the Institute’s 20th anniversary, the largest sports/cultural event in the world in 2006 in terms of countries represented. Former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton delivered the Games keynote address, and Senator George Mitchell delivered the 20th anniversary address on July 1, as part of Closing Ceremonies. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who served as co-chair of the Games Executive Committee, captured a common theme when he stated at Closing Ceremonies, “This was perhaps the finest youth event in history.”

PEACE RELATED ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED AT THE 2011 WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT

The Institute for International Sport will work with the host college/university and the academic team to develop a curriculum that will afford all participants the opportunity to address, in depth, peace-related issues such as:

• Arms proliferation and armed conflict
• Poverty
• Economic development
• Education
• Energy
• Environment, natural resources and biodiversity
• Ethics
• Globalization and international trade
• Health and healthcare
• Human trafficking
• Hunger and nutrition
• Leadership and leadership development (these concepts will come from the Institute’s newly created Hassenfeld-Hogg Center for Sports Leadership)
• Natural disasters
• Religious conflict
• Sovereignty and territorial disputes
• Technology
• Terrorism
• Tolerance, diversity and cultural competence
• Space Exploration and Technology, including security issues therein.

DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM

A major focal point in 2008-09 will be the ongoing development of the curriculum for the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit. This project will encompass a series of “curriculum planning discussions,” involving Institute for International Sport personnel and experts in various phases of world peace.

The first “curriculum planning discussion” will take place on Friday, February 29, 2008 when 20 graduate students and professors from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (Mr. Doyle’s graduate school alma mater) will convene at the Institute’s International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame for an in-depth conversation and planning session.

The “curriculum planning discussion” program will include meetings with the principle speakers at the Institute’s 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games, all of whom are renowned peace brokers. Speakers will include General Colin Powell; Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel; Senator George Mitchell; Vint Cerf, one of the founding fathers of the Internet and recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and famed environmentalist Claes Nobel, senior member of the Nobel Peace Prize family. The appearances of each of these peace brokers at the US Scholar-Athlete Games will involve Dan Doyle and other Institute representatives conferring with them about various aspects of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit.

The World Youth Peace Summit curriculum will be published in May, 2009.

SELECTION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2011 WORLD SCHOLAR-ATHLETE GAMES

Selection for the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games will follow the same process that has been successfully employed since 1993, when the inaugural World Scholar-Athlete Games took place. scholar-athletes and scholar-artists are nominated by their school. The Institute also works with a number of “partners” in the nomination process, including United States Ambassadors, Foreign Ambassadors to the United States, the Peace Corps, many international Civic clubs such as Rotary International, many national and international Honor Societies, such as the National Association of High School Scholars, and many acclaimed sports education programs, such as the Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University. In addition, the Institute has a select group of 3500 nominators representing the 192 countries that have participated in the Games.

Selection for participation is granted on a series of criteria, including honor roll status, proficiency in the sport or art activity of choice, and demonstrated leadership qualities.

SELECTION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2011 WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT

The following constituents will receive automatic acceptance, based on availability:

• Graduates of the past Scholar-Athlete Games - dating back to 1993.
• U.N. Nominees.
• Peace Corps Nominees.
• National Association of High School Scholars nominees.
• The Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University nominees.
• Host Community Nominees.
• College/University Nominees from throughout the world.
• Adult delegates, nominated by all countries in the world.
• Nominees will also be welcomed from all countries in the world.

In addition to the aforementioned delegations, other individuals may apply to attend the World Scholar-Athlete Games and World Youth Peace Summit. An admissions committee will be appointed in 2009 to oversee the admissions process for both programs.

THE CLOSING CEREMONIES CHALLENGE

At the closing ceremonies of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit, Dan Doyle will challenge the participants to leave with an earnest commitment to foster world peace through active participation in a peace project - large or small - aimed at this important objective. Mr. Doyle will utilize the “chipping effect” concept that was at the core of Institute’s acclaimed Belfast United program. The Belfast United program involved the Institute, over a ten year span, bringing together equal numbers of Protestant and Catholic youth in Northern Ireland through the mediums of sport and the arts. At many of the youth sessions, Mr. Doyle made the statement “we are looking at this project as one that creates a ‘chipping effect’- one that chips away at the violence and hatred that has permeated this region for too many centuries.”

The participants responded. When peace was declared in Northern Ireland, Belfast United was acknowledged as one of the most important contributing factors.

Historic Night in Rhode Island Nobel Laureate Helps Announce Institute's 2011 World Youth Peace Summit "No citizen of the world is more qualified to help us announce this event than our very special guest, Elie Wiesel."

Go to the blog at www.internationalsport.com to read a Providence Journal story and view WJAR-TV coverage of Professor Wiesel.