Brazil

Organised by Capitão Bruno Amaral of the UPP Borel in partnership with Blog da Pacificação, a Unity Match was played between kids from neighbouring favelas (shanty towns) in Rio.

The favelas have recently been ‘pacified’, meaning they are no longer run by rival gangs. Played on a pitch symbolic for being located on a former hotspot of gang violence, the event provided an opportunity for residents from the different favelas to mingle and socialise – something they were not able to do until recently.

Burundi

A football match was organised between returning refugees who fled to Tanzania for safety during the lengthy civil war- and the young people who stayed in the country. A celebration with prizes concluded the day which was a culmination of a weeklong celebration of peace in Burundi, with other highlights including an exposition of events that led to the ceasefire, a march by people in the capital Bujumbura reaffirming their commitment to peace and a workshop by women leaders evaluating their contribution to peace.

Football is one tool that helped them get together again, to know and appreciate one another better and to feel part of one community. Team captain Dukezimana Pacifique said that football could teach them to live together and strengthen peace. ‘You have to follow the rules in order to win, you have to work with others for the same goal, you can’t do it alone, and it’s the same in working for peace in our community,’ he added.

Columbia

ACI, the local governing authority, organised a range of Peace Day activities in Medellín including a football match between the Under 19s of the city’s 2 main teams, Atletico Nacional and Independiente Medellín Deportivo, with the participation of senior level players. The match was played in front of a crowd of 5,000 people, and without a referee!

Prisons and penitentiaries also celebrated the Day, with a football match played between inmates at Bellavista and Itagü prison. After the match, there was a symbolic hug between guards and inmates. Other activities in the City included a Peace Concert and speeches from senior local authority figures calling for a peaceful coexistence.

DR of Congo

A One Day One Goal Match held at the stadium Lumumba of Matadi between two teams of young women. The match was played under the patronage and collaboration of both provincial Ministries of Justice, Human Rights, Public Health and Social Affairs and Youth, Leisure, Sports, Culture and Arts.

Ghana

As part of their commitment to Peace Day Mercy Josiah International Foundation along with the support of the Afigya Kwabre District organised a mini football tournament involving four teams to promote peace and tranquillity in the region. The tournament kicked off at 10am at Wesley College with participating teams from Afigya Kwabre, Politicians and Committee team from the District, invited Media groups and student’s team from Garden City University College. Guest of Honour’s at the tournament were the Regional Minister, DCE, Afigya Kwabre, Tetremhene, CEO Boss FM and Pastor Simon Ampofo.

Israel, Palestine and Jordan

As part of International Day of Peace, September 21, Mifalot, Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club’s Education and Social Project held several workshops and football tournaments throughout the region in (Israel, Palestine and Jordan), in which children discussed what the word peace meant to them. These workshops and One Day One Goal tournaments were held concurrently in ten different locations throughout the region.

Kenya

A 2-day football tournament involving several boys and girls teams from the Obunga and Nyalenda shantytowns. The football was played in an amicable spirit, despite initial worries a dispute could break out. Health workers were invited to talk to the kids about HIV / AIDS.

Namibia

A 14-team tournament took place in Okahandja Park, where organizers used the opportunity to promote peace, particularly within the family, as part of NawaLife Trust’s campaign Standing Up against Alcohol Abuse, reiterating the dangers that alcohol misuse can have on family, society and the country as a whole. The football was followed by music including an electrifying performance on a song on Alcohol misuse, its consequences and how it affects Peace. They also used influential players from the Namibia premier league to promote the campaign.

North Korea

Middlesbrough FC Ladies traveled to North Korea to play 2 matches against local teams, in support of Peace One Day. The event was an amazing experience for all involved, promoting intercultural cooperation, and in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of UK and DRPK diplomatic relations.

Sudan

Plans organised by GUA Africa and supported by the Government of South Sudan to organize a mini-tournament between several rural tribes that have been in long-running conflict, to promote peace prior to an extremely important referendum concerning the future of the country.

Find out more about GUA Africa here

Zambia

Kalim Sports Council organised a One Day One Goal tournament on the 21st of September at Mahatma Gandhi school ground in Mtendere. The tournament targeted 144 children from the town. The tournament provided a support system for the players to participate in a well organised event in honour of the International Day of Peace. The key aim was to experiment to establish if the match could be fair and successful without a need for a referee. The peace day tournament was organized by Kalim Sports Council (KSC), a community based organization that supports the physical well being of disadvantaged children through the use of sports and play activities.

Bangladesh

SOS Children’s Village Bangladesh showed a fantastic support of Peace One Day by organising Peace Day football tournaments for the children they work with in 5 projects in the country in Bogra, Chittagogng, Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi.

Macedonia

A football tournament was held with Macedonian former footballers, (including European Golden Boot winner Darko Pancev), and local celebrities (actors, musicians and TV presenters). There were participants from different ethnic origins all there to promote the message of peace and social cohesion.

Paraguay

CDI Partidi organised Peace Day celebrations for the children they work with, including activities and discussions about the importance of living in peace, using Martin Luther King’s "I have a dream” speech as inspiration. The day culminated in a boys and girls football tournament.

Phillipines

A One Day One Goal event was held in Ascom Field in Fort Bonifacio. The whole day affair included more than 140 participants from Gawad Kalinga, Child Hope Asia Philippines and the Army Football Club. The children involved were aged 9 to 12 years old. The event was held by organisers seeking to encourage the practice of nonviolence and consensus building through sports. The event consisted of a football clinic and tournament as well as presentations on peace.

After the tournament, all 10 teams were awarded with medals for their participation. “We hope that the children and volunteers in this event will take the lessons on peace and apply it to their lives.”

Afghanistan

Through a football tournament involving 7 team, players and guests were introduced to members of Afghan civil society organisations and messages of peace were spread throughout the Day. The event was broadcast through local media.

India

In Darjeeling a football festival was held at the Dhooteray Ground involving people from ten communities, with teams formed at random to emphasise the spirit of cooperation and unity. The Shankar Foundation participated in this event by putting up a stall and by distributing information, education and communication materials to the participants and the spectators/school children. They educated the people and students on the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Peru

A football event was organised for youngsters who are at risk of or have already joined street gangs. The organisers used football as a tool to start talking about changing the pattern of violence in Pachacutec, a shanty town near Lima with about 70,000 residents. Community leaders also took part as emphasis was placed on conflict resolution through peaceful means.

Cote d’Ivoire

A match was played in Bouake that brought together youth teams from the North and the South of Cote d’Ivoire. The match was played in a fantastic atmosphere, with 500 spectators, who included the Army Commander of the North Party “New Forces” and the Commander responsible for the UN armies. The match was covered by the media and had a positive impact on the local and national authorities.

Iraq

Mercy Corps organised a match in the city of Khanaqin to be played by members of the Iraqi Army and the Kurdish Peshmerga. Each team consisted of five Army soldiers and five Peshmerga fighters, and was watched by over 200 spectators, including high-ranking officials from both sides. After the match was over, the players left the field hand in hand to a standing ovation.

UK

Peace One Day’s message was spread at a Premier League match between at White Hart Lane between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Wigan Athletic. This included the Peace One Day logo as the centre circle flag; digital hoardings carrying the Peace One Day logo and message (alternating with PUMA); the showing of a 3-minute video with Jeremy Gilley; Puma 1 page ad in programme replaced by POD creative; Post match interviews shown on BBC2 and Sky Sports – with the POD logo on background boards; and POD t-shirts given away and sold at the mega store.