Frenchman Yves Angelloz founded the World Peace Games in 1983. The International Committee for the World Peace Games (ICWPG) oversees the competitions and is sanctioned by cooperative agreements signed by UNESCO/FIDEPS, the United Towns Organization and the University for Peace of the United Nations. Participation is open to anyone, regardless of religion, citizenship, age or political convictions

Part of the charter for the games reads, “Convinced that sports meetings carry an atmosphere of fair emulation and bring peoples together in a peaceful manner, that therefore they have an important part to play in the understanding and friendship between man and civilizations.” The games include cultural, humanitarian and economic components on each occasion.