GENEVA — The World Jewish Congress (WJC), in partnership with the German NGO What Matters, unveiled the acclaimed exhibition “Sports. Crowds. Power.” at the United Nations Palais des Nations on Monday, underscoring the influence of sports in the rise and power of the Nazi regime, in celebration of the International Day of Peace. The exhibition, which will be on display from September 8-12, coincides with the first week of the UN Human Rights Council 60th session.
First launched at Berlin’s historic Olympiapark during UEFA Euro 2024, in collaboration with the Berlin Sports Museum, the exhibition traces how the Nazi regime used football to promote its ideology, persecute Jewish athletes and clubs, and marginalize those who did not conform. It features powerful personal stories of athletes who continued to play in ghettos and concentration camps, as well as an exploration of the incomplete post-war reckoning with exclusion and extremism in football culture.
Today, as Jews and Israelis are once again being excluded from sporting and cultural forums, Sports. Crowds. Power. should serve as a stark warning of what happens when hatred and persecution are allowed to thrive unchecked,” said WJC Israel CEO Sara Friedman following her remarks at the opening. “Bringing this exhibition to the United Nations is our way of sounding the alarm. The diplomatic community has an obligation to reflect on the dangers, and the deadly consequences, of silence and inaction. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we must ensure that the sporting community stands firmly against antisemitism,” she added.
“Football has always reflected the societies in which it is played — at times reinforcing prejudice, but also creating opportunities for solidarity and resilience,” said Daniel Loercher, Managing Director of What Matters. “By presenting ‘Sports. Crowds. Power.’ at the United Nations, we want to confront the uncomfortable history of the game under Nazi rule while also inspiring players, clubs and fans today to use football’s universal reach to stand up against antisemitism and discrimination.”
The exhibition is presented in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Germany and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in partnership with UNESCO, UPEACE, OIF, OSCE/ODIHR, the European Union, and a coalition of 33 UN Member States.
“This exhibition is part of the World Jewish Congress’s longstanding engagement with the United Nations in Geneva to raise awareness about the dangers of antisemitism and the importance of learning lessons from the history of the Holocaust,” said Dr. Leon Saltiel, WJC’s Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “Moments like these are an opportunity to join forces to protect human rights and democratic values,” he continued.
Following its display at the Palais des Nations, the exhibition will move to Geneva’s main stadium, where it will be on display from September 15-19, 2025. Hosted at the Hôtel Ramada Encore near the stadium, this second stage will feature guided tours for schools, football clubs, local communities, and the wider public, ensuring the exhibition’s message resonates beyond the diplomatic halls and into the heart of the sporting community.
The exhibition is a component of the WJC’s Together Through Sport initiative, launched in 2023 in partnership with What Matters to combat discrimination and promote inclusion in football through education, remembrance, and community action.
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