From May 3 to 9, 2026, military delegations from 81 countries, or 230 people in total, gathered in Monaco for the annual general assembly of the International Military Sports Council (CISM). Created in 1948, this organization was built around an idea: to make sport a tool for dialogue between armies around the world. “CISM offers a space where military personnel from around the world can meet other than on the field of operations, where dialogue can open even when traditional diplomacy reaches its limits. The current international context, marked by tensions and misunderstandings, reinforces the relevance of our mission.”underlines its general secretary, Roberto Recchia. A member of CISM since 2010, this is the first time that Monaco hosted this event. A choice “obvious”according to Roberto Recchia, because of the values of neutrality and sporting spirit that the Principality embodies. “In the current context it was important to send a strong signal from a symbolic placeâ€he adds. After welcoming the delegations and the opening ceremony, participants attended a conference by Peace and Sport, an international organization based in Monaco which also uses sport as a vector of peace, social cohesion and dialogue in conflict zones. On May 5, after a military ceremony at the Place du Palais, a sevens rugby tournament took place between the French and Monegasque delegations at the Louis II stadium. “The objective was not competition, but rather to offer CISM delegates the opportunity to discover rugby sevens. At the end of the meeting, the participants also had the opportunity to learn about it, creating a moment of informal sharing.says the Secretary General. The week continued with the CISM annual congress, its 81st official general assembly and its internal elections. “No Monegasque application at this stage”explains Roberto Recchia, who hopes, in the future, “see representatives of the Principality becoming even more involved in the governing bodies of CISM”. The general assembly was also an opportunity to present the 2027 Summer World Military Games which will take place in Charlotte, in the United States, as well as the 2027 World Military School Games which will take place in Kazakhstan. A cultural day extended these exchanges, before the departure of the participants. The involvement of the Monegasque public force, bringing together the prince’s carabinieri and the firefighters, guaranteed the smooth running of the event, particularly in terms of security and protocol. “Monaco already benefits from a particularly high level of security, and all the necessary measures have been implemented, in order to guarantee the security of all CISM delegates under under the leadership of the project director, Captain Denis Raymond »to Roberto Recchia.
