Engaging Youth To Become Peacebuilders Through Sport
Sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls, all the barriers. It is a worldwide industry whose practices can have widespread impact. Most of all, it is a powerful tool for progress and for development.
– Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary-General
Playing for Peace
Youth are uniting to build peace through Never Again International – Canada’s annual Football Tournament for Peace.
Youth are engaging their peers to become humanitarians and peace builders through the power of sport. The tournament provides youth with the opportunity to engage their peers and audience members around the themes of humanitarianism, preventing the spread of genocide ideology, stopping the use of child soldiers, unity and reconciliation and building conflict management through sport activities.
As former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated, sport encourages personal growth, is a major force in eliminating gender barriers and can build bridges across lines that might otherwise divide.
Never Again International – Canada recognizes that sport has the power to drive social change, community development and to foster peace and understanding.
Football is a powerful vehicle by which to educate youth both on the causes and effects of genocide and build peace.
This annual event enables youth to promote peace and reconciliation, prevention of crimes against humanity and mass atrocities.