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In tutta la mia vita ho visto come il calcio aiuta ad integrarsi e a stare insieme. Nell’istante in cui ci si allacciano gli scarpini e si entra in campo le differenze scompaiono e si e’ tutti compagni di squadra, non importa la lingua che si parla o la diversa origine culturale. La sola cosa importante e’ segnare piu’ gol possibili senza subirne. Solo cosi’ si potra’ camminare a testa alta con l’orgoglio e la consapevolezza di aver vinto grazie all’aiuto dei compagni di squadra.
My whole life I have seen how football brings people together. The moment you put on your boots and walk onto the pitch, you are the same as everybody else. It doesn’t matter what language you speak or culture you represent. All you want is to score goals and prevent the other team from doing the same. Then you hold your chin high, as a team, and know that the only reason you won is because of the people around you.
—Francesco Totti
AS Roma/Italy |
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Soccer for Peace recognizes that our game defies political, social, and economic boundaries and is often the common thread linking cultures and nations. It’s a simple and beautiful game, and it has the unique ability of bringing people together.
—Alexi Lalas |
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Soccer for Peace is a brave and vital initiative, an attempt to make the symbolism inherent in team sports work in an arena that matters. These kids from warring nations will be team-mates, facing the same way together, relying on each other, wanting the same things at the same time, fighting for each other…The value of the exercise is self-evident, simple, and unquantifiable.
—Nick Hornby |
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Football destroys the barriers that we politicians are invariably stuck behind, and in a sincere and even subconscious manner. I would love to see more and more children participating in such programs— peace that is made on the field is much more valuable than what is determined at the table.
— Zehava Galon
Member of Knesset Chairperson of Meretz Party |
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Soccer for Peace is inherently logical, and valuable. There is nothing more global in reach than soccer, and thus no better way to bring peoples together.
—Sunil Gulati
President, US Soccer |
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With politicians on both sides inflaming hatred, its falls to ordinary people to keep the hopes of israeli-palestinian peace alive. Soccer for Peace does just that
—Peter Beinart
Author / Journalist |
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I can travel anywhere in the world, put a ball down on any street corner and instantly I have 25 friends. Soccer grants you instant access into a community; it has the ability to break down cultural stereotypes and brings people together. There is no other sport like that.
—Ethan Zohn |
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Soccer for Peace is the type of venture that should be promoted in the Middle East and supported here at home. People need to find a common ground, and they need to do it from a young and impressionable age. Encouraging sportsmanship is a natural and viable way to plant the seeds of peace.
—Ruth Messinger |
