Media Release: Allianz Celebrates “Unsung Heroes of Sport” who Bridge Social Divides to Create Connection

The role of sports in our society extends beyond just physical activity or competition. Sport teams foster social cohesion by bringing together people from a wide range of backgrounds around a shared passion. Allianz is proud to celebrate the unifying power of sport with the Unity Awards. This initiative shines a light on the everyday champions who use sport to shape values, build character and bridge social and cultural divides. Allianz invites local sports clubs, trainers, teammates or parents to share their personal “unity through sport” story in a video by the end of June. The winners will receive public recognition and financial support to strengthen their community-building efforts.

A recent study by Allianz and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which surveyed 5,000 people aged 12 to 24 years, and 2,000 parents of 12- to 18-year-olds across 10 countries, showed that sport can provide a vital sense of belonging, joy, and hope. A total of 77% said sports help them to make new friends, 58% feel they belong to a community when playing, while 72% believe in the societal importance of sport.

These insights highlight the importance of supporting grassroots efforts and amateur clubs that acknowledge the power of sport to overcome division and bring people together – the sentiment which the Unity Awards seek to capture. The awards are a new initiative within Allianz’s long-term “Power of Unity” program that aims to overcome division and unite people around a shared cause in an increasingly polarized world.

“Most visibly demonstrated through our long-standing partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, Allianz strongly believes in the power of sport to unite people, says Global Head of Olympic and Paralympic Program at Allianz, Eike Bürgel. In addition to high-profile global partnerships, Allianz actively supports local sports clubs in its core markets. With the new Unity Awards, we want to celebrate the unsung heroes of sport – often volunteers – who inspire us with their dedication to teaching young people life values and the importance of standing united despite our differences.’’

The Unity Awards build on Allianz’s wide range of long-term partnerships in sports. The leading insurer is a strategic partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and contributed to the successful organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Allianz will also be closely involved in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and is promoting safety in bobsled through a partnership with the German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation. For many years, Allianz has also been a partner of FC Bayern and a sponsor of the men's and women's teams. With the Squared Ball initiative, Allianz helps young female players achieve their financial goals with confidence and know-how, and through the MoveNow program it promotes sports and exercise among young people.

Allianz launched the “Power of Unity” program in November 2024 to help individuals and organizations to engage more constructively in the face of growing polarization worldwide. Through research, thought leadership, learning programs and events, it seeks to promote dialogue and respectful debate, bridge divides by encouraging mutual understanding, and restore trust in societal institutions.

Applying to the Unity Awards

Sports clubs that work towards reducing prejudice, building resilience, and challenging stereotypes by promoting tolerance, are welcome to apply for the Allianz Unity Awards.

How to participate

• Application is open to individuals, teams, and clubs from amateur to professional levels who can demonstrate the use of sport to unite people. Coaches, teammates, club supporters, parents, or volunteers can be nominated or apply themselves.
• To participate, applicants are invited to submit a short self-made video (under 30 seconds) sharing their personal “unity through sport” story. Entries can be submitted either:
  • Through social media using the hashtag #AllianzUnityAwards, or
  • Via the Power of Unity content hub.
• The application period runs from June 1-30, 2025.

Further details and information about the application process can be foundhere.

Selection and Recognition

Award recipients will be chosen in multiple categories including coach, teammate, club supporter, and parent. Winners will receive Unity jerseys, recognizing their contributions to fostering inclusion, addressing social challenges, and creating lasting impact through sport.

In addition to public recognition, winners will receive financial support from Allianz’s MoveNow Fund to further their community efforts. This support may take the form of new team jerseys, clubhouse renovations, training workshops, or other needs identified by the recipients.

Selected stories will be featured throughout the campaign in Allianz communications, supported by user-generated content and an influencer campaign in the UK and Germany to extend reach beyond Allianz’s own platforms.

Further Links

Unity Awards

Unity Awards (German)

Power of Unity Road to Milano Cortina 2026

About Allianz

The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with around 128 million* private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 768 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.9 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2024, over 156,000 employees achieved total business volume of 179.8 billion euros and an operating profit of 16.0 billion euros for the group.

* As of December 31, 2024. Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.

** As of March 31, 2025.

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