Prof. Dr. Marion Keim

UNESCO Chair for Sport, Development, Peace and Olympic Education

The Power of Sport: Closing remarks

Prof. Marion Keim is the UNESCO Chair of Sport, Development and Peace (SDP) and Olympic Education based at the University of the Western Cape. Her teaching and research and community engagement areas focus on sport and development, leadership, conflict transformation, multiculturalism, youth development and sport as a means for social transformation and peace building.

She is the Chairperson of the Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace and an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, certified in Mediation and Sports Law. She has coordinated numerous national and international sport and development projects for UNESCO, IOC, IPC, GIZ, FIFA and the Commonwealth.

Prof. Marion Keim served as member of the National Advisory Committee for Sport and of the Eminent Person’s Group for Sport and Transformation for the Minister of Sport in South Africa and on the Education and Training Commission of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

Since 2014 she has served on the IOC Education Commission and was in 20026 re-elected as President of the South African Pierre de Coubertin Committee. Since 2024 she has served as Secretary General of the Association of National Pierre de Coubertin Committees of Africa. She was also elected Chairperson for Sportanddev in 2024 and as the Co-chair of UNESCO’s global Fit for Life Knowledge Innovation Network. Marion facilitates and lectures globally, she is the author, co-author, compiler and editor of more than 30 books and serves on numerous international Sport, Development, Peace and Education boards.