The Beyond Sport Summit and Awards are taking place in Chicago from September 29 to 30 to recognize global leaders who are using the power of sport to help change the lives of others. Presenting the Leadership in Sport Award will be the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, and the chief executive officer of Heidrick & Struggles, Kevin Kelly. Last year’s winner was Kofi Annan who represented profound leadership. This year’s winner–who will be announced at the Summit-will do the same.

In association with Beyond Sport, Heidrick & Struggles is holding a leadership workshop and breakfast on the eve of the summit for representatives from the 34 shortlisted projects in the Beyond Sport Awards. During this session, an array of specially invited senior executives from corporations will lend their expertise to allow participants to take home tangible insights to help their projects grow and become sustainable in the future.

World leaders who will speak at the event include Olympic legends Michael Johnson, Frank Fredericks, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Ian Thorpe as well as Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan; former South African soccer captain Lucas Radebe; and US Senator and former Presidential Candidate Bill Bradley.

Within Heidrick & Struggles, the Global Leadership Advisory Group believes that sport has always been a "laboratory for leadership" and a great force for individual and social change.

Through our global network spanning industry sectors, we are able to bring both leadership advisory and executive search expertise to almost every discipline and organization, from content providers, leagues and teams, to channels of distribution including television, cable and Internet, solution providers such as healthcare and sporting good manufacturers, financial services, sponsors, construction and food and beverage suppliers.

Designed to recognize and reward the best sport and development projects from across the world on an annual basis, the Beyond Sport Awards incorporates 13 categories covering the entire sporting spectrum of health, social inclusion, corporate and social responsibility, and philanthropy.

Now in its second year, the awards has attracted entries from over 400 projects, further extending the significant reach of the global initiative to over 115 countries and territories.

Beyond Sport is chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and includes high-profile ambassadors from New York Yankees baseball star Derek Jeter to London 2010 Olympic Games chief, Lord Sebastian Coe, International Olympic Committee member Nawal El Moutawakel, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Morocco.