By Ibrahim Yakubu
A head of 2021 World International Peace Day, two Non-Governmental Organizations, Peace-Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria and Women hood Foundation of Nigeria, have commenced the World Peace Day celebration with sports activities across the country.
This is geared towards uniting the youth and promoting the spirit of togetherness, peace and forgiveness.
Pastor Yohanna Buru, the National President of Peace Revival in Kaduna describes sports as a compelling tool for promoting peace, tolerance, and understanding, bringing people together across boundaries, cultures, and religions.
Its values, such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, and respect are understood all over the world and can be utilized in the advancement of solidarity and social cohesion, he emphasized.
He said, they decided to use sports activities such as skating, cyclist, football, para-soka, table tennis and snooker game in the communities to bring the people together so as to promote the culture of togetherness and one Nigeria.
He noted that Sport remains one of the best ways to bringing people together for a common goal and respect for one another.
Sport like Football, hockey, cricket, volleyball, baseball, tennis, badminton, table tennis, swimming, cycling and many others, Pastor Buru said, are popular all over the world and could be used for uniting the people irrespective of their cultural, traditional, and religious background.
“Traditional games are also still being played by several communities and we are hoping to organize some, so as to use the moment toward educating Nigerians on the importance on peace and stability”
According to him, in a modern era of conflict and humanitarian crises, sport can assist in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals 16 which promotes peace, justice and strong institutions.
Buru stressed that his organization and other similar NGOs and Civil Society Organizations would organize friendly football matches among Muslims, Christians and other traditional believers on the importance of peace and unity.
Also speaking on the Day, Director of Womenhood School of Health Science Kaduna, Mr Nurudden Bello, said they have started sensitizing the general public on the importance of peace.
He added that the Day would feature a lecture at the school premises titled “Importance of peace and harmony in our community.”
“Sport unites nations and creates peace and friendship among countries citing the world cup which brings Nations together.
“Sport builds similarity by bringing people to one place creating a similarity between people of things they like to do and Sport like Football, hockey, cricket, volleyball, baseball, tennis, badminton, table tennis, swimming, cycling and many other sports are popular all over the world and can be used for uniting the people irrespective of their cultural, traditional, religiously background.
“Traditional games are also still being played by several tribal communities and we are hoping to organize some, so as to use the moment toward educating Nigerians on the importance on peace and stability”
