Leeds Summit

Participate World, The University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University, with support from Leeds City Council and Sport Leeds, co-created and led the first Leeds Summit on Community Sport for Development and Diplomacy (17-18 September 2025).

More than 80 attendees debated the power and potential of community sport as a developmental and diplomatic tool for both local and global impact, with the aim of launching the city as a global hub. Former triathletes Alastair Brownlee and Chrissie Wellington were among the speakers, along with Debbie Cook, Director for the EFL (English Football League) in the Community.

Thank you to everyone who could be there and special thanks to our guest speakers - in order of appearance: Debbie Cook, Tim Holtam, Ollie Hart, Dr Elizabeth Paddock, Martin Yelling (PhD), Chrissie Wellington OBE, Lee Hemmings, Ivo Gormley OBE, Alistair Brownlee MBE, Alain MUKIRANYA, Sara Begg, James Mapstone, and Jason Morgan MBE. And massive thanks to those who facilitated evening community sport events for us to experience including Leeds Hyde Park FC, GoodGym, MOVE Against Cancer Charity and Sanctuary Runners Ireland.

In the words of Chrissie Wellington OBE “we already have the power, we just need to harness it together”.