Media centre

Foot for peace

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 23 January 2007 – “Foot for Peace” is an operation initiated and funded by UNICEF with the technical support of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) and the Scouts Federation of Côte d'Ivoire. The objective is to create, through football tournaments with children – girls and boys aged 10 – 15 years - a space for sensitization on tolerance, peace and acceptance of others.
The finals of the first edition of the football tournament for peace will take place at the Yamoussoukro Municipal Stadium from 25 - 27 January 2007.

The Foot for Peace campaign was initiated in December 2006. The main activities of this national educational operation are as follows:
• training the various officials of FIF and Scout Movements of the eight towns retained on 7 - 8 December 2006 at the Institut National de la Jeunesse et des Sports (INJS) at Marcory ;
• official launching of the tournament on 23 December 2006 at the Yopougon Sports Complex;
• holding of regional competitions from 20 December 2006 to 07 January 2007.

These final stages will bring together 16 champion teams, including 8 for girls and 8 for boys from Bouaké, Abengourou, Bondoukou, Man, Korhogo, Abidjan, San Pédro and Yamoussoukro. Each team is composed of 14 children, including 9 female or male players, and 5 female or male reserves. This intermixing will also be an opportunity for the youth from zones under the control of the forces nouvelles and the government zones to meet to discuss themes like HIV/Aids, girls’ education, protection, hygiene etc... in order to further sensitize them.

For 3 days, 224 girls and boys will participate in the unification of Côte d’Ivoire through football by combining: Games and friendly relationships; Games and acceptance of one another; Games and tolerance, solidarity and Games and peace.

Hence, each team will be named after an individual who has made or is making a significant contribution to the culture of peace and non-violence, such as Félix Houphouët Boigny, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa …

Mr. Youssouf Oomar, UNICEF Resident Representative notes: “This promotion of the culture of peace through football has been so well perceived by our young “messengers of peace” that before starting a match, the captains of both teams will launch a message of peace; in the same manner as when a male or female player is given a yellow card”.

Red card is excluded. The different half-times are punctuated with poems, songs and activities on peace and tolerance.
In addition to the promotion of peace, our young friends will also draw the attention of adults to other themes such as:
• Genital mutilations
• The right to extract from birth certificate
• STIs/HIV/AIDS
• Use of insecticide-treated bed net
• Education of children mainly, the young girl …

Other surprises have been planned to share with the children pleasant moments with peace and football as leimotif.

* * * *

Concerning UNICEF
For 60 years, UNICEF is the main defender of the cause of children. By leading programmes in the field in 156 countries, it helps children to survive and develop, from their tender age until the end of their adolescence. As the leading world supplier of vaccines to developing countries, UNICEF supports health and nutrition of children, access to potable water and adequate sanitation facilities, to enable all boys and girls to benefit from quality basic education, and to protect them against violence, all forms of exploitation and AIDS. UNICEF is fully funded by voluntary contributions from governments, enterprises, foundations and individuals.

For further information, please contact:
Alexandra Westerbeek, Chief Communication, UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire.
05572178 / 21211812 awesterbeek@unicef.org

Español Français

Search:

Email this article