FOLLOW US
Think Tank 2022
Becoming Champions in Life
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Seville, Spain - More than 1,200 people from southern Spain took part in a memorable "Goals for Peace" festival May 22 to 24. at the Seville Football Club training ground.The Peace Dream Foundation teamed up with the education and development department of the Andalusia Football Federation to organize a “Goals for Peace” festival that coincided with preparations for the Peace Cup, which brought professional teams from around the world to compete in Andalusia.
The festival included three types of competitions. Sixty-two teams of boys and girls from schools throughout the region competed, cheered on by enthusiastic parents. Six teams of disabled young people demonstrated that with dedication and effort everyone can take part in the game. The Immigrants' Cup featured teams of people living in Spain who came from Paraguay, Nigeria, Armenia, Morocco, Bolivia, and Algeria. The different immigrant communities have their own languages and cultures, and this competition was an opportunnity to spend time together and learn to know each other better. After three days of fierce competition, the Paraguayans and Moroccans met in a very disputed final; the Moroccan team started well, but Paraguay came back to win 3-2.
“The Peace Dream Foundation uses sports to promote development and peace at the grassroots level,” according to its international director, Robin Graham. Francisco Lopez, Director of the Andalusia Football Federation, said “Peace Dream is a marvelous foundation with extraordinary objectives. There is nothing more important than to fight for peace and against poverty in the world.”
None of this would have been possible without efforts of the coordinators and the support of the parents. Several well-known players came to the festival and inspired participants to become champions not only in sports but in all of life.