Today is the third annual International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and in 2017 the focus is on #WePlayTogether, talking about the power of sport to promote peace, unity and inclusion.
To celebrate International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2017 here is a look at the work Cricket Without Boundaries have been involved in in Northern Uganda, where the power of sport is being used to bring together communities that have been shattered by war and conflict.
Since 2012 Cricket Without Boundaries have been working with the ICC and the Ugandan Cricket Association to launch cricket in Northern Uganda. CWB and UCA bring young people, including former child soldiers, together following the conflict with the Lord’s Resistance Army, and more recently an influx of refugees from South Sudan. CWB have sent 5 volunteer projects to Northern Uganda, and help support the UCA development officer who is responsible for work in the region year round.
We believe the following photos and videos tell a powerful story of the capacity for sport to promote peace, unity and inclusion.
A girl bats in front of a mural at the Pece Stadium, Gulu, Northern Uganda. Taken in 2012, this photo is a potent reminder that while the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency was over in Northern Uganda by 2008, the effects continue to resonate throughout the communities here.
This photo shows Maria, a girl from Aura, Northern Uganda, as she bats during a Cricket Without Boundaries festival in 2013. Supported by her teammates, she went on to hit the winning runs in this game, as well as bowling and taking a diving catch.
This photo from 2015 shows team from street children charity Surface Uganda participating in a Cricket Without Boundaries cricket “testing” festival in Gulu, Northern Uganda. This group joined teams from local schools to test their cricket skills and access voluntary HIV testing. Once all teams were playing together any sense of this group being outsiders quickly faded, as everyone learnt and was “tested” together.
Finally, this video interview with schoolteacher Patrick, from Otim Tom Primary, Lira, Northern Uganda, summarizes the impact of cricket on children in his school.
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8zjaQOKGdE”]
To read more about each of these projects, visit the project pages, which include project summaries and links to their blogs and more photos:
Written by Sara Begg.
With cricket being such an inclusive, multi-skilled sport it provides opportunities for everyone to get involved and play together!!
CWB really gets the ball rolling #weplaytogether