Business and Sport Unite: Experts of the World Peoples Assembly formulate the Concept of Public Diplomacy in the New World
The panel session «Sport and Diplomacy in the Service of the Peoples of the World» took place on September 19, 2026 at the World Trade Center. The event was part of the Second World Public Assembly «New World: Values That Unite», held in Moscow in September 2026.
The participants discussed sport as a key tool of intercultural dialogue and established it as a fully-fledged, independent area of public diplomacy within the global agenda of The World Peoples Assembly.
Opening the discussion, the session moderator, Deputy Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly Alexander Rabinovich, noted that the concept of «sport» had outgrown the familiar boundaries of football and tennis. Today, it is an entire universe of fields: restaurant sport, in which teams compete to preserve national culinary traditions; research sport, which helps scientists obtain materials for innovation and make discoveries; environmental sport, which brings together those who care for our planet.
The theme was further developed by Georg Bauer, a member of the Board of the diplomatic community DMW International, President of the World Federation of Restaurant Sport (WFRS), Co-Chair of the Council of the World Peoples Assembly for Investment Attraction and Technology Transfer, and an economist. He noted that «gastrodiplomacy» operates according to a simple rule: «When everything is delicious, it is easier to solve issues». International championships involve not only chefs, but also sommeliers and table-setting professionals, transforming culinary art into a powerful instrument for bringing nations closer together.
Arthur Renz, First Chairman of the Board of Directors of diplomatic community DMW International, a member of the City Council of Brühl, and founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company, recalled the historical role of sport, from the ancient Olympic truce to present-day realities. Due to him, the development of new formats proves that «borders are an illusion», while the will to win and to achieve peace unites people regardless of their physical or cultural characteristics.
- Sport achievements are ceasing to be a demonstration and becoming an tool of rapprochement, in which the uniqueness of every person is recognized. Development of traditional and exceptional competitions proves that sport has gone far beyond stadiums, stated the speaker.
Participants of the session agreed that traditional diplomacy, limited to official meetings and signing of agreements, can no longer be the only instrument of global interaction.
- Diplomacy is an art of building trust between people, - stated Serhat Akpinar, President of the diplomatic community DMW International, Rector and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Girne American University and Cyprus American University, Doctor of Science and public figure. The expert is convinced that sport, art and education do not require passport control. Sport teaches an invaluable principle: in order to win, one does not need to be hostile. Athletes compete on the field, but after the competition they shake hands. Due to Serhat Akpinar, the principle of mutual respect should form the foundation of global diplomacy in the New World.
Halil Sert, Vice-President of the diplomatic community DMW International, Chairman of the supervisory body of education institution «Merzus Assembly», diplomat and sports manager, shifted the focus to everyday life, noting that diplomatic skills, namely active listening and respect, are necessary not only during negotiations, but also in the family, at work and in communication with neighbors – all for the constructive resolution of conflicts.
- In a globalized world, we encounter people of different origins, beliefs and interests. Such clashes are completely normal. And diplomacy enables us to resolve them constructively, - the Vice-President emphasized.
The economic and social dimension of public diplomacy was outlined by Ekaterina Grebenskova, a member of the Board of Directors of the Eurasian Information Agency Global Media Group, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the International Project Office «StratEKO», and Co-Chairperson of the BRICS Health Coalition. She formulated an equation in which sport creates emotional unity and trust, which, in turn, opens doors for business. According to the expert’s view, it is trust that enables capital to become «constructive» and serve the common good through impact projects. The speaker called on all session participants «to interact with one another with open hearts, without slowing down in creating new playing fields».
Anna-Maria Listvinskaya, Head of the Committee for the Development of Creative Industries of the Council for Investment Attraction and Technology Transfer and a public figure, highly praised the international scope and organization of the panel session. She noted that the overall aesthetics and atmosphere of the meeting were an expression of «soft power» and of the very diplomacy that should «move out of offices and into society». The speaker emphasized that fashion has long since become a global industry bringing together numerous sectors:
– We often speak about sovereignty and the international agenda. However, the sovereignty of meanings is formed not during sessions, but where adults demonstrate a master class to the younger generation. «A child does not need to be taught; a child needs to be shown an example» – this is the professional credo I follow. Therefore, in the projects we create, we build unified ecosystems without artificially dividing adults and children.
Describing the practical implementation of her idea, Anna-Maria Listvinskaya pointed to the synergy of intelligence, sport, aesthetics and technology. She cited as a vivid example a format in which «children from different countries sit down at a chessboard in beautiful designer outfits», while business representatives nearby discuss current issues and develop solutions. The speaker also reported that in 2026, an event will be held at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg that will, for the first time, bring together children’s draughts, chess and backgammon federations with the creative industries. In her speech, she put forward an initiative to establish a working group to unite sport, intelligence and the creative industries at the international level, inviting the leaders present to become partners in this endeavor.
The public figure paid particular attention to the new federal project «On the Line», she is one of its ideologists. Participants are provided with «real finances and tools», while their mentors include top managers, bankers and artificial intelligence, which analyses businesses in real time and «competes with people». The project includes a children’s league in which young inventors work in the same team with people who have gone through an «enormous school of life». Children integrate their ideas into adult businesses and become «co-authors of patents and receive dividends».
In conclusion, Anna-Maria Listvinskaya reinterpreted Dostoevsky’s well-known statement, declaring that «beauty will save the world if it is supported by strong capital, advanced technologies and the personal involvement of everyone».
Ksenia Moskalyova, a member of the Board of Directors of the Eurasian Information Agency Global Media Group, revealed the media aspect of people’s diplomacy, emphasising that, for Generation Alpha, it is important to create their own reality through short films and sincere «stories» – this establishes a direct connection between people from different countries:
- A living bridge with an audience is built from authentic stories. Create content that reflects your real life: show how your morning begins, how you tend your garden or put together your everyday outlook. Simple, genuine beauty is the very language through which we speak to the world and build trust with our followers.
The global scope of sports diplomacy was confirmed by Samir Djamai, President of the World Federation of Restaurant Sport from Morocco, President of the International Federation of Underwater Research Sports-IFURS (Morocco), and Co-Chair of the Council of the World Peoples Assembly for Investment Attraction and Technology Transfer. He announced that the 2030 FIFA World Cup, held with the support of UNESCO and FIFA, would become a historic bridge between Africa (Morocco), Europe (Portugal) and the Mediterranean (Spain).
Aktas Khandanur, Secretary of the diplomatic community DMW International and a representative of German sports and commercial structures, also took part in the discussion.
Summing up the panel discussion, the participants formulated key theses defining the direction of the development of public diplomacy in the New World. The principal one was recognition of sport as a multifaceted ecosystem extending beyond the framework of classical Olympic disciplines. The experts agreed that gastronomic competitions possess comparable diplomatic potential. Sport, culture and art serve as a universal language that does not require diplomatic recognition of states in order to inspire people around the world.
An important practical outcome of the session was Anna-Maria Listvinskaya’s initiative to establish an international working group designed to unite sport, intellectual games and creative industries. The leaders supported the proposal and expressed their readiness to establish partnerships in creating new formats at the intersection of these fields.
The experts also concluded that emotional unity born through sport serves as a reliable foundation for business cooperation and innovation. Sport builds trust, while business and science transform it into real impact projects aimed at the benefit of society. To promote values of the New World, it is also necessary to actively embrace modern media formats: visual culture and involvement of young people in content creation are becoming one of the key drivers of public diplomacy.
In an era of global challenges, it is precisely sport, art and education that can turn differences into a source of mutual enrichment. Beauty, intelligence and fair play can indeed save the world - if they are supported by the power of human unity, concluded the participants.
Additional information is available on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly and at media@world-assembly.org.