The Power of Sport

About the conference

The Sport at the Service of Humanity (SSH) Conference at Marquette is an invitation-only gathering bringing together leaders in athletics, education, business, faith and sport to harness our collective powers to effect positive change in society.   

Sport at the Service of Humanity was launched by His Holiness Pope Francis during the 2016 Global Conference on Faith and Sport at the Vatican. Since then, regional Sport at the Service of Humanity conferences were held in 2017 at Villanova University, 2018 at Loyola Marymount University and 2019 at Georgetown University.  

The 2023 Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference at Marquette will be the fourth to be held in the United States and will feature dynamic speakers, panel discussions and breakout groups focused on building on existing structures to use the collaborative strength of faith and sport for good.  

 

About Sport at the Service of Humanity

Sport at the Service of Humanity is the only global faith and sport movement that combines the passion of sport with the values and power of faith to serve humanity. “Live Like We Play” embodies the movement’s ethos – rooted in Pope Francis’ inspirational words — “Challenge yourself in the game of life, as you do in the game of sport.”

Sport for Humanity’s beliefs and aspirations are founded on three pillars — inspiration, inclusion and involvement and six principles — compassion, love, respect, enlightenment, balance and joy.  

To achieve its mission, Sport for Humanity focuses on facilitating dialogue, inspiring partnerships and amplifying content. For more information, visit sportforhumanity.com, follow @sport4humanity and @sportforhumanityx on social media and search for trending topics #LiveLikeYouPlay and #Sport4Humanity.

 

 

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. Some of these experiences align particularly well with the Sport for Humanity’s vision to inspire, include and involve — programs such as MKE LAX, the Adaptive Abilities Club, Marquette University Student-Athlete Faith Group and Student Health Allies and Peer Educators (SHAPE). When our students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.

 

Recent events

Georgetown University SSH Conference, 2019 

Georgetown University hosted the Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference in 2019 on the university’s campus in Washington, D.C. The conference focused on three pillars – inspiration, inclusion and involvement – and provided opportunities for attendees to reflect in breakout sessions and through excursions around the Washington area. The dynamic group of speakers, including expert faculty, faith leaders and athletics alumni, led inspiring discussions on the future of sport at the service of humanity. 

Vatican summit / news release 

Representatives from SSH and Marquette University participated in the September 2022 International “Sport for All” Summit, held in Vatican City. More than 250 participants from 40 countries participated in the summit, which was designed to promote the social and inclusive dimensions of sport in society. 

 

 
     Photo courtesy of ©Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

 

Marquette Program Initiatives

National Sports Law Institute Marquette Student Health Allies and Peer Educators

Marquette Student-Athlete Faith Group Marquette MKE LAX

Center for the Advancement of the Humanities Marquette Adaptive Abilities Club

 

Media

The Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference is not open for media attendance. Any other media inquiries surrounding the conference should be directed to Kevin Conway, associate director of university communication at Marquette University, kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu