The Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org), a pioneering international charity dedicated to social justice through sport, art, culture and digital engagement, has issued a powerful new call to action through its Founder and Chair, Geoff Thompson. In his latest leadership essay, “Sport for Development and Peace: A Live Aid of Hope and Opportunity,” Thompson challenges the global community to move beyond symbolic gestures and invest meaningfully in the lives of young people facing disadvantage, disaffection, and despair.

Reflecting on the legacy of Live Aid, and drawing from over three decades of experience in sport for development, the essay urges a coordinated global effort to turn sporting success into sustainable impact—through leadership, funding, and authentic community engagement.

“We must go from taking a knee to taking a stand,” Thompson writes. “There has never been a greater time for the Sport for Development and Peace movement to declare itself as champions of hope and opportunity.”

The essay is accompanied by a grassroots-focused “Word From The Streets” feature published on the Youth Charter website, where young voices from Manchester, Johannesburg, London and beyond share their testimonies of how sport and art have changed their lives. These stories highlight both the power of local community action and the urgent need for global alignment around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key Messages:

• The Youth Charter is calling for a Global Sport for Development and Peace Fund, transparently managed and impact-led, to deliver meaningful social, cultural and economic change.
• The movement must be led by authentic leaders and institutions who work on the ground—not just at summits.
• Young people must be empowered as leaders, not just beneficiaries, in resetting systems of inequality.

“We are facing a humanitarian emergency—not just in Gaza and Sudan—but in the streets of our own cities. This is a defining moment for sport. Will we use it to inspire, or will we remain part of the performance? Now is the time for action, not optics.” Geoff Thompson, Youth Charter Founder & Chair