Peace Players International

PeacePlayers International is a non-profit organisation which uses the game of basketball to unite and educate children and their communities.

Goals

PeacePlayers International has four main objectives:

• Bridge social divides

• Develop future leaders

• Educate children to lead healthy, constructive lives

• Build community involvement to ensure long-term sustainability

Background

PeacePlayers International was founded in 2001 on the premise that “children who play together can learn to live together.” PeacePlayers International effectively blends together proven theories of social modeling, conflict resolution and public diplomacy to operate basketball and life-skills programs in historically divided regions that bring together thousands of children from different religious, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

The programs attract children to participate in basketball and life-skills activities that enable them to learn leadership skills and how to live as friends and neighbors. A key component to Peace Players International's effectiveness is that the programs target children aged 10-14. These are the children old enough to pick up the basics of the sport, but young enough that many prejudices have not yet been cemented. Through the power of sport and education and the strategic integration of public diplomacy, Peace Players International is altering the pattern of preconceived prejudice and equipping children with the skills and education needed to address the serious social and health issues they face.

South Africa

Since inception, PeacePlayers International, South Africa has:

• Taught the game of basketball to over 25,000 children from the city of Durban, its suburbs and its surrounding townships

• Actively involved 7,000 10-14 year old boys and girls from 98 schools who participate in inter-community leagues, life skills clinics, tournaments and clubs

• Trained and employed 100 young South African adults to serve as coaches and youth mentors

• Built 45 outdoor basketball courts each of which is affixed with AIDS awareness message

• Held eight tournaments each involving over 2,000 children who participate on mixed teams

• Developed and implemented a program-wide HIV/AIDS Awareness initiative in partnership with Harvard University 's School of Public Health and the University of Natal.

• Become a registered charity in South Africa led by an active board of directors

• Enlisted funding from the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation, The Nelson Mandela's Children Fund, the South African government and several corporate sponsors

= Northern Ireland-- () 19:44, 9 October 2008 (UTC)-- () 19:44, 9 October 2008 (UTC)In August 2002, Peace Players International extended its program to Northern Ireland with the mission to use basketball to address sectarianism and foster mutual respect and tolerance among Catholic and Protestant children.

Over the past two years, Peace Players International, Northern Ireland has:

• Coached 12,000 10-14 year old Catholic and Protestant children in integrated settings

• Partnered with Ulster Basketball to established new cross-community basketball clubs in Dungannon, Armagh, Cookstown, Craigavon, New Buildings, Claudy, Limavady and Derry.

• Paired together sixth and seventh grade classes from 100 Catholic and Protestant schools in weekly mixed basketball sessions

• Placed 19 American program directors on the ground to administer program activity and develop local leadership

• Trained 15 local young adults from both communities to be coaches and youth mentors

• Held 8 tournaments involving over 1,750 participants

• Become a registered charity in Northern Ireland with a local board of directors and management committee

• Enlisted funding from local town councils, the Reconciliation Fund, The Ireland Funds and the UK

• On Wednesday 11th July 2007, David Cullen and Trevor Ringland received the Arthur Ashe award for Courage at the 2007 ESPY awards [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=espnmag_peaceplayers&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos2]

Middle East

In June of 2005, PeacePlayers International initiated a year-round program in Israel and the West Bank (PPI-ME) that facilitates positive dialogue and fosters tolerance and multiculturalism between Jewish and Arab youth and young adults. The program involves two main components. First, PeacePlayers International engenders meaningful interaction between Arab and Jewish children in Israel and the West Bank through joint basketball activities and life skills sessions which take place regularly throughout the entire school year. Second, PPI-ME operates a single identity program in the West Bank that provides constructive outlets for children and employment and leadership opportunities for young Palestinian adults. All initiatives are created with input from the local communities who work with PPI Program Directors and local coaches to build specialized programming.

Since September 2005, PeacePlayers International has:

* Worked with more than 2,000 children
* Trained and employed over 70 adults from both sides as coaches, mentors and leaders
* Established sixteen joint basketball clubs that provide opportunities for regular interaction for Jewish, Israeli Arab and Palestinian children
* Developed “BasketPal” programs in the West Bank cities of TulKarm and Ramallah
* Implemented teambuilding and leadership activities into all programming

Program Activities Include:

* Twinned Basketball Clubs – a network of youth basketball clubs in which Israeli Jewish,Israeli Arab and Palestinian children play together on integrated teams under the guidance of a diverse group of coaches. All players and coaches partake in weekly peace education workshops.
* Leadership Development Program – youth leadership and training program that equips Israeli and Arab young adults with the skills needed to make a positive difference in their communities and on the lives of the children with whom they work.
* “Basket Pal” – programs aim to build capacity and infrastructure in underprivileged areas of the West Bank. Weekly practice sessions and games provide constructive outlets for these at-risk children. PPI-ME trains young adults in these communities to serve as role models and mentors.
* Camps – summer basketball camps in Israel at which children compete on mixed teams and participate in a variety of teambuilding activities and peace education workshops.

Cyprus

PeacePlayers International established a program in Cyprus (PPI-CY) in October 2006 that is using the game of basketball to facilitate positive dialogue and interaction between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth, with the ultimate goal being improved relations between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus. The project is led by a group of 3 PeacePlayers International-Cyprus directors and 16 local coaches who direct activities that bring 10-12 year old Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth together to play the sport in an inclusive, fun environment.

The program was launched in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Working with the UNDP and other local partners, PeacePlayers International-Cyprus has the following objectives:

* Bring thousands of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot children (aged 10-12) together to play basketball in a fun, inclusive environment
* Train and employ local young adlits from both communities to work together as coaches, leaders and role models
* Develop links between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sports clubs and other community organizations
* Build community involvement and investment

New Orleans

In the fall of 2007, PeacePlayers International is launching its first domestic program in New Orleans. This will be a large scale, multi-sport effort that seeks to assist in the transformation, education and unification of a post-Katrina New Orleans.

External links

* [http://www.peaceplayersintl.org Official PeacePlayers International site]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=playingforpeace ESPN article]