From Italy (Reggio Calabria) to Lebanon (Beirut) and Cameroon: sport comes together to uphold every child's right to play. CSI Reggio Calabria and UNICRI launch an international initiative connecting sport, education, inclusion and children's rights.
Seven days of activities, hundreds of sports grounds and communities connecting across borders united by one message: every child has the right to play.
To mark World Children's Day on 20 November, the Italian Sports Centre (CSI) – Reggio Calabria Committee, in collaboration with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), is launching THE RIGHT TO PLAY – Everyone Involved. No One Left Out!
Starting in Reggio Calabria and reaching communities in Beirut, Lebanon, and schools in Cameroon, the initiative seeks to turn a fundamental children's right into meaningful action through sport, education and participation.
More than a sporting event or a one-day celebration, it aims to make sport a space where children can exercise their rights, participate and develop a sense of belonging.
PLAY IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE
For millions of children worldwide, opportunities to play cannot be taken for granted. Children affected by conflict, poverty, discrimination or social exclusion often face barriers to sport and recreation. Children with disabilities may encounter additional physical and social obstacles, while others lack access to safe spaces, facilities or organized activities.
Yet play is far more than entertainment. It supports learning, friendship, personal development and social inclusion. Through play and sport, children learn to cooperate, respect differences, express themselves and participate in community life.
THE RIGHT TO PLAY seeks to translate this universal right into practical action, bringing together sports clubs, schools, institutions, educators, families and communities.
14–20 NOVEMBER: SEVEN DAYS OF SPORT, INCLUSION AND PARTICIPATION
The initiative features five thematic activities, each highlighting a different dimension of children's rights.
14–16 November - More space to Play: Participating sports clubs will open their facilities for free, inclusive activities, giving children opportunities to play, connect and feel welcome. Whether on a sports field, in a gymnasium or in a community space, the goal is simple: open doors and create opportunities for every child.
17 November - No one left on the bench: Every player matters. Sports clubs will organize cooperative games and activities adapted to different abilities, with no eliminations and meaningful roles for everyone. The focus will not be on winning, but on participation, teamwork and ensuring that every child has a place.
18 November - Our ideas take the field! Children and young people will take the lead. They will propose rules, design games and organize activities, while adults participate according to the rules established by younger participants. The aim is to recognize children's right to be heard, express their views and participate in decisions affecting them.
19 November - One field, many rights: Sports grounds, schools and public spaces will become places for dialogue on children's rights. Through games, discussions, drawings and short videos, children and young people will share their ideas and experiences on inclusion, friendship, respect and participation. Their contributions will form a collective message shared through participating organizations.
20 November - The missing minute: Sport pauses for children and young people who are still denied the right to play.On World Children's Day, CSI will invite sports clubs across Italy and international communities to join THE MISSING MINUTE, a collective symbolic action.
At 16:20 (4:20 p.m. CET), play will stop at participating sports grounds. A ball or piece of sports equipment will be placed at the centre of the field, while players gather around its perimeter, symbolically leaving the playing area empty. A young athlete, coach or educator will read the campaign's message:
A world where not everyone can play is a world that must change.
Participants will then return to the field, forming a large circle around the ball or equipment before play resumes, reaffirming that the right to play belongs to every child, without discrimination. A pair of sports shoes will also be placed beside the ball, symbolizing children who are still waiting for their chance to join the game.
Not a minute of silence, but a minute of awareness, responsibility and solidarity with those still denied the opportunity to play.
FROM REGGIO CALABRIA TO BEIRUT AND CAMEROON: THE RIGHT TO PLAY KNOWS NO BORDERS
International participation is central to the initiative. On 20 November, live connections are planned with the Palestine Youth Club in Shatila, Beirut, and schools in Cameroon. These exchanges will bring together children, young people, educators and sports communities across different geographical and social contexts. Sports grounds, schools and play spaces will become symbolically connected through a shared message: Regardless of where they are born, their circumstances or the difficulties they face, every child has the right to play, participate and belong.
BUILDING AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR THE RIGHT TO PLAY
THE RIGHT TO PLAY aims to extend beyond 14–20 November by encouraging an international network of sports organizations, institutions, schools, educators and communities committed to children's rights. Its message is clear: access to play and sport should never depend on economic circumstances, physical abilities, social background or place of birth. Every sports club can make a difference. Every accessible space can create an opportunity. Every action counts.
Participating organizations are encouraged to document their activities through photographs and short videos and share them using the campaign hashtags: #TheRightToPlay #TheMissingMinute #EveryoneInvolved #NoOneLeftOut #DirittoAlGioco #CSI
These contributions may become part of a collective audiovisual record, highlighting the participation of communities across borders.
A GLOBAL CALL: NO CHILD LEFT OUT! JOIN US!
CSI Reggio Calabria and UNICRI invite sports organizations, institutions, international networks, schools, associations, educators and all those working to advance children's rights to join and support THE RIGHT TO PLAY. The ambition is not simply to celebrate children's rights for one day, but to turn them into everyday opportunities, inclusive experiences and meaningful action. Every sports ground should be a place where differences are respected, everyone is welcome and no child is excluded from the opportunity to play.
Sport is more than competition. It is a means of education, inclusion, dignity and belonging. On 20 November, let's not stand on the sidelines. Let's pause for one minute so that everyone can have the chance to play.