Friendly sports competitions among people of diverse backgrounds have great potential as instruments for peace.
- Goal: Integrate sports and education in order to promote peaceful communities.
- Method: Organize programs in schools and communities that bring together people from diverse backgrounds in the spirit of friendly competition to promote sportsmanship, understanding, and good will.
Examples of programs:
- Play Football Make Peace brings together diverse teams in friendly matches that promote good sportsmanship and build friendship. (Estonia, Honduras, India, Israel, Kenya, Palestinian Territories, Russia, Switzerland)
- Run Hour relay races in parks and public spaces mobilize youthful energy to publicize worthy causes. (Georgia, Russia)
- Super-marathons bring people together for several days of running in turns on an extended route. (Belarus, Georgia, Russia, France, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
- Peace Cup professional football tournaments (Korea and Spain)
- Peace Trophy interreligious tournaments in Italy.
- Estonia - UPF-Estonia Co-Sponsors ‘One Korea’ Event
- Switzerland - Swiss Football Event Includes Peace Education
- Moldova - UPF-Moldova Honors International Day of Families with Peace Road Event
- Thailand - Thailand “Peace Road” Draws Hundreds of Cyclists
- San Marino - UPF-San Marino Hosts ‘Football for Peace’
- Switzerland - UPF-Switzerland Holds Peace Cup Children’s Tournament
- “What’s Your Cup of Tea?” Episode 3: Sports and Peace Report
- United States - Religious Youth Service (RYS): The Power of Cooperation
- Estonia - Estonians Given a Glimpse of Life in the Koreas
- Italy - Conference in Italy Discuss Ethics and Values in Sports
- Bhutan - Buddhist School in Bhutan Hosts ‘Peace Road’
- San Marino - Israel and San Marino Girls Play Football for Peace
For resources for organizing a community-wide sports day, click here.
"The reason for my devotion to soccer teams, symphony orchestras, and ballet companies is that these activities are a means to bring world peace. The world famous footballer and peace activist Pelé and I found that we shared this kind of thinking, and so we created a new competition of international dimensions called the Peace Cup, and tournaments have been held every two years since 2003. All profits from the tournaments are used to support soccer events for children and youth in developing countries. In particular, we use soccer to help children with physical disabilities keep their dreams alive." - Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, Founder, Universal Peace Federation