UN Proposes Palestinian-Israeli Football Match
The UN Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke from Germany, proposed holding a football match between Palestinians and Israelis as a way of helping to resolve the long-standing conflict dividing the two peoples. The UN official claims that the sporting event could be held in Ramallah, the Gaza Strip or in Tel Aviv.
PressenzaTel Aviv, 21/10/09“We need to demonstrate that there is another way to live in peace”, asserted Wilfried Lemke, the United Nations Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, referring to the massive football event he proposed holding between Palestinians and Israelis. He also stated that he seeks to organise a sporting event between China and Taiwan, two nations currently divided politically.
The UN official claims that countries like Brazil and Switzerland could help resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians by participating in the organisation of the football match. Though Lemke states that he has spoken with authorities from both nations, it appears that neither party is prepared to use sports as a way of overcoming political issues - turning this project into a complicated one for Lemke.
"I won’t give up the fight for this idea", assures the German, who also declared that he has the necessary financing for the match at his disposal.
(Télam/DPA)
(Translation provided by Alex Crichton)
Pressenza, an international news agency dedicated to news about peace and nonviolence with offices in Milan, Rome, London, Paris, New York, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Santiago and Hong Kong. Find out who we are and get in touch with us.
