Celebrating peace through play at Global Games

12 May Celebrating peace through play at Global Games

Sixty boys and girls living in England, Belgium and the Czech Republic will represent communities from 20 countries at this year’s Global Peace Games at the Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium, site of the First World War Christmas Truces, from May 25 to 30.

The event, which celebrates the United Nations’ International Day of Peace and is funded by Erasmus+ and the Children’s Football Alliance, will bring together young people across the world with the aim of creating peacemakers of the future. Representing England will be Sunnydown School in Caterham, Surrey.

Schoolchildren aged between 14 and 18 will visit the Menin Gate in Ypres, the site of the Battle of Passchendaele and Tyne Cot Cemetery. They will also take part in international games, workshops and forums, debating the role of sport at home, in the community and at war.

All participants will learn how to twin their community’s playing fields with Flanders Peace Field, site of the World War One Christmas Truces in 1914, when German and Allied soldiers stepped out of their trenches and momentarily escaped the horrors of war by playing football.

Ernie Brennan, CEO of Children’s Football Alliance, said: “This is a once in a lifetime experience for many future young peacemakers. Playing football on the world’s most poignant field will inspire them to pledge promoting peace in their communities.”’

Paul Jensen, headteacher of Sunnydown School, said: “Sport is a social human activity. Peace is the result of appropriate human interaction and collaboration and conflict the breakdown of this endeavour. What better way to promote world peace than bringing together children from across the globe to engage in sport and pledge to work towards a future of peace.”

Ben Wright, the school’s project teacher, added: “Sunnydown is proud to have been selected as the UK’s representative school at this event, promoting world peace and understanding at a setting synonymous with conflict and its resolution. May our children learn from history and work tirelessly to prevent it repeating itself. A world of peace is in humanity’s interests.”

For more information about the Global Peace Games and Peace Fields Project and to find out how your school or club can twin playing areas with Flanders Peace Field, visit the Children’s Football Alliance website.