A message from Israel in Hebrew and Arabic!
“The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation firmly believes that the international language of sport is an excellent tool for promoting peacebuilding between people. With the longest running peace education through sport programme in the region, we have seen the power of sport to unite diverse youth through a common language. Over 22,000 Arab and Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian boys and girls have come together through our uniquely tailored methodology, which equips the younger generations with the tools to become positive agents of change within their communities and the region. As a member of several international organisations utilising sport to promote peacebuilding and shared-living, we see the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace as a significant opportunity to share our positive experiences with others and inspire and encourage communities around the world to explore sport as an impactful method for creating a better tomorrow.”
“As the late 9th President of Israel Shimon Peres said, “The way to make peace is not only through governments, it is through people”. Sport provides a mutual interest and common language uniting individuals from different backgrounds who would otherwise not meet, but who share a love for the game. It creates partnerships between teammates, forging new group identities and promoting the values of cooperation, teamwork, and shared-living. When children and youth of all genders and from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds play together in a safe and fun environment and follow the same rules equally, this not only has a strong influence on the participants themselves, ensuring that we “leave no one behind”, but also on the coaches, parents, family members, and communities in which they play together. Sport thus has the potential to significantly contribute to the SDGs by creating people-to-people partnerships for prosperity and peace worldwide.”
