NEW YORK CITY — Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao called on world leaders to empower the youth and create more opportunities through sports during a United Nations event in New York.
Speaking at the “Sports for Youth Empowerment and Prevention of Violent Extremism” forum, Pacquiao shared how sports transformed his life.
“There was a time when I stepped into the ring not for victory, but simply to buy food for my family,” he said, recalling his early struggles before becoming a globally recognized boxing champion.
Pacquiao said sports not only helped lift his family out of hardship but also instilled in him “discipline, purpose, and hope.”
He emphasized that sports can serve as a powerful tool for peace and development.
“Sport is not only competition or entertainment. It is a platform for inclusion, a space for discipline, and a pathway to opportunity,” he said.
Relating his personal story to global challenges, Pacquiao stressed that poverty, exclusion, and limited access to education and employment create vulnerabilities that weaken communities—but these can be addressed through early intervention.
He urged stronger collaboration among governments, the United Nations, and other sectors to expand sports programs and invest in young people.
“Today, there are many young people around the world waiting for that same opportunity. They need support. They need guidance. They need a path forward. We must not fail them,” he said.
The United Nations, for its part, noted that many young people worldwide live in poverty and face marginalization, as well as limited access to education and employment.
Such conditions, it said, make them vulnerable to recruitment by violent extremist groups and increase their risk of involvement in crime and violence. These factors can lead to serious consequences for peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Closing his speech, Pacquiao called for collective action, “Let us work together to strengthen the role of sport as a tool for peace, development, and the prevention of violence and extremism. Let us invest in our youth and expand opportunities for them to grow and succeed. And let us ensure that every young person, no matter where they come from, has the chance to choose a better future,” he said.
