Child Protection United States Project #8020

Use sport to unite children in divided communities

by Peaceplayers International

Use sport to unite children in divided communities

Project Report | Nov 18, 2014
PeacePlayers International Report - November 2014

By Matthew Agar | Communications and Development Intern

Susan Rice with PPI-ME Leaders at White House

PeacePlayers International-Cyprus: NBA Legend Pat Garrity Coaches at PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp

NBA legend Pat Garrity, former WNBA player Evan Unrau, and Stanford University player Robbie Hummel visited PPI-Cyprus's Summer Camp, which brought 64 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot children together to play basketball and build friendships. The former players led participants in basketball drills and 5-on-5 games, as well as observed training sessions aimed at teaching leadership, tolerance, and cooperation. The players lauded the program as an example of the power of play in building bridges between communities.

PeacePlayers International-Middle East: Youth Leaders Visit United States through State Department Exchange

On October 6, 2014, 30 Israeli and Palestinian Youth Basketball coaches from the Middle East visited the United States for a two-week cultural exchange supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. The exchange aimed to build reconciliation and understanding between the two communities. Participants engaged in numerous workshops, training sessions, and even had the privilege of meeting and playing with Ambassador Susan Rice on the White House basketball court. The exchange epitomizes the strong connection between the role of sports in conflict resolution and U.S. foriegn policy goals.

PeacePlayers International-Northern Ireland: PPI-NI Reaches Milestone with 32 Twinnings

In the past academic year, PPI-Northern Ireland achieved the milestone of 32 Twinnings between Catholic and Protestant students as part of its program to train and bring together children from both sides of historical conflicts. Through these Twinnings, PPI-Northern Ireland worked with over 2400 children from Belfast, Bellymana, Bangor and Lurgan at a small cost of £100 per participant. This accomplishment indicates that PPI-Northern Ireland is a proven and committed organization to alleviating the divisions between the different peoples of Northern Ireland.

PeacePlayers International-South Africa: 24th City Wide Tournament

Two new teams, one from NBA Africa and another from CAST, join over 350 participants comprising six teams at PPI-SA's 24th City Wide Tournament in Durban this November. The City-Wide Tournament emphasized integration between the different communities of players, affirming PeacePlayers' commitment to building cross-cultural friendships and peace.

Twinned PPI-NI Catholic and Protestant Students

Teams at PPI-SA's 24th City-Wide Tournament

Pat Garrity at PPI-CY Summer Camp

Links:

PeacePlayers International Website

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Aug 21, 2014
PeacePlayers International Report - August 2014

By Lauren Rogers | Communications and Development Intern

23rd City Wide Tournament in South Africa

PeacePlayers International-Cyprus: Young Leaders Travel to Norway

Lead 4 Peace recently brought seventeen Leadership Development Program participants from Cyprus to Norway to help coach a week long basketball camp. These young leaders took part in coaching and conflict resolution training sessions, and they also explored Nesodden with their Norwegian friends.

PeacePlayers International-Middle East: Visit to Israel Sports Center for the Disabled

Our Leadership Development Program in the Middle East had the very special opportunity recently to visit the Israel Sports Center for the Disabled. After speaking to Shimi, a world champion in hand bicycling, the group played a game of wheelchair basketball. The experience was humbling and made a large impact on everyone in attendance, from the players to the coaches.

PeacePlayers International-Northern Ireland: First Ever Cross-Community Basketball Camp

PPI-NI has been working hard over the past year to enhance the competitive aspect of their basketball program. One method of doing so was by hosting the first ever Cross-Community Summer Basketball Camp in Belfast. The camp was a huge success, building competition and encouraging team spirit.

PeacePlayers International-South Africa: 23^rd City Wide Tournament

Over 350 players representing six different communities traveled to Durban at the beginning of June to participate in PPI – South Africa’s 23rd City-Wide Tournament. Still Durban’s largest youth basketball event, a key focus of the City-Wide Tournament allows for the integration of players from different communities and schools, facilitating the most important goal of PPI, creating cross-cultural friendships and promoting peace.

Lead4Peace Cyprus Participants in Norway

PPI-ME plays wheelchair basketball!

Cross-Community Camp in Belfast

Links:

PeacePlayers International Homepage

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May 19, 2014
PeacePlayers International Report - May 2014

By Lauren Rogers | Communications and Development Intern

Members of the Jerusalem All Star Team

PeacePlayers International-Cyprus: Spring Basketball Tournament Unites Children

On May 3rd, PPI – Cyprus held its spring basketball tournament for over 150 children. Kids from 8 to 17 years old competed during the day on mixed teams with participants from both the Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot communities, while parents and family members cheered from the sidelines. United States Ambassador, John Koenig, tweeted live from the event.

PeacePlayers International-Middle East: PPI Jerusalem All Stars Win Championship

On May 1, PPI's Under 18 Girls Team made history by winning the Israeli National League Championship for the Southern Division on a last second shot. Our team, comprised of Palestinians and Israelis, is the first ever mixed group from Jerusalem to compete in the National League. ESPN’s Chad Ford tweeted live from the game. You can watch the thrilling final seventeen seconds of the game here:

http://on.fb.me/1go4M5V

PeacePlayers International-Northern Ireland: Junior Champions 4 Peace - Developing Leaders

The Champions 4 Peace-Juniors (C4P-Jrs) program continues to thrive, growing in number and gaining representatives from all areas of Belfast. Earlier this year, participants were invited by ESPY winner Dave Cullen to attend a game in Andersonstown between the New York City Jaguars and the Ulster Elks. Prior to the game, C4P-Jrs took part in a Leadership Training class where they learned effective leadership skills and played games where each participant's leadership style shone through. They then took their seats courtside where players from the NYC Jaguars handed the C4P-Jrs t-shirts during their warm-ups. The C4P-Jrs cheered on both teams throughout the nail-biting game, and afterwards, the Jaguars took time to take pictures and sign autographs for their newest fans.

PeacePlayers International-South Africa: SA is Underway!

Twenty-nine PPI-South Africa teams registered to participate in the Primary School Programme (PSP) which began earlier this year. PSP focuses on teaching its participants basketball fundamentals as well as character-building traits such as self-confidence, self-discipline, and goal-setting. The Leadership Development Programme (LDP) for high school students also re-launched with this season. LDP encourages its participants to set a positive example for their communities and to lead healthy lives.

Ethiopia: PPI Helps Create Soccer League for Orphans

In April, PPI traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the second time in 6 months to train 23 Ethiopian coaches from World Wide Orphans to become positive youth coaches and mentors. PPI and WWO developed a youth soccer league for over 400 kids focused on working with orphans and vulnerable children. Moving forward the program will continue to grow with the long-term goal of an All-Star team that could play and compete in the local youth soccer league.

Portland, Oregon: Peace and Respect on the Court

From January through March, PPI and AC Portland launched a youth basketball league based on PPI’s Anatomy of Peace methodology and the Portland Trail Blazers award winning anti-bullying Respect Campaign. Trainings were held for boys and girls at Cesar Chavez and Oliver Elementary, with a three-year expansion plan to grow into a network of 16 teams. “This is a significant moment for AC Portland. Typically our students participate in soccer for 10 weeks in the fall and 10 weeks in the spring…Having a basketball program will allow our students to remain active for 30 weeks a year,” said AC Portland’s Executive Director, Ben Dudley. In July, PPI’s Organizational Learning Specialist, Gunnar Hagstrom, will educate local Program Coordinators on how to train their coaches in the Anatomy of Peace, with an additional follow up training in November.

JC4P-Jrs with NYC Jaguars

Spring Basketball Tournament in Cyprus

Half-time during a South Africa LDP game

Links:

PeacePlayers International website

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