Sport for Peace: A Lesson in the Future at the Youth Center

How would you like to be treated? Think about it. Then, treat others the same way.

This is the essence of the recent initiative held at the Youth Center: "Sport for Peace" was the title of the project designed by the Focolare Movement in collaboration with us and NASSO (Namugongo Social Services Organization).

The slogan of the initiative was "Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself." The event saw the participation of over 1,200 young people, guided in the activities by 41 facilitators, who are teachers or leaders from the parishes of the Moroto Diocese.

The Launch of the Project

At the beginning, the facilitators met to plan the activities and receive training on the topics that would be addressed with the young people in the workshops. Six rules were established: do your best, play fairly, persevere, take care of everyone, make a difference, and celebrate. These rules were written on the six sides of a die: each facilitator had to roll it, and based on the rule that came up, a collective discussion would open on its meaning.

The Youth Involvement

In the following days, the young participants were divided into groups led by the facilitators. On the first day, discussions began on why we play and focused on the themes of cooperation and competition. On the second day, the emphasis was on sports for peace, covering both theory and practice, and leading the activities. Leadership training, team games, and preparation for the final festival were at the core of the third day, while the fourth day concluded with evaluations, the distribution of participation certificates, and a commitment to continue promoting sports for peace.

The Bishop of Moroto to the Youth: "Be Creative"

"Be creative in whatever you do in life." This was the message that Father Damiano Guzzetti, Bishop of Moroto, addressed to the young people and facilitators, encouraging them to be examples for one another. "Young people are essential for the future of the community," he explained, "and they must be creative in whatever they do. I hope they will retain the knowledge and skills gained from this project to bring about change in their communities."

Towards Schools and Communities

The facilitators agreed that these activities should continue within communities and schools, where children receive their education. Our staff has already put the lessons learned into practice, incorporating some "Sport for Peace" activities into the weekly schedule at the Youth Center. These activities will be offered on Tuesdays for children aged 6 to 10 and on Thursdays for youth aged 12 to 24.