Football 4 Peace International

Using sport to promote peaceful coexistence

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About us

Our Mission Statement    

Football 4 Peace (F4P) is a multi-dimensional research; education and social engagement platform that utilises sport innovatively to deliver generic and bespoke ‘values-based’ palliative training and coaching programmes designed in and for areas suffering from high levels of cross-community conflict and various forms of political disorder and social disintegration.

The emphasis on a grass roots, bottom up and sustainable approach to peace building and conflict resolution is reflective of F4P’s deep roots which were planted in Northern Ireland during the bitter sectarian strife of the 1970s and 1980s. The F4P model was refined and matured in the following decades through the undertaking of programmes in Israel, Jordan and Palestine. While the distinctive F4P model evolved against a background of ethno-religious conflict during its evolutionary history, the model has been adapted in ways that render it suitable to be used to help meet a number of related development and cross-community goals.

Profiling and championing a style of critical social science ‘critical-proactivism’ with a high priority given to evaluation and research, scholars at the University of Brighton have been able to engage and partner with practitioners and organisations on and beyond our doorsteps. This collaborative approach has positively influenced sport based interventions within schools, communities and regions across the world by leading and / or supporting activities that make contributions to promoting progressive social change, life enhancement and personal and community empowerment.

The F4P curriculum and associated teaching resources emphasises a holistic approach to the education of trainers and young people through a specific pedagogical model designed to promote emotional well-being, personal development and responsible citizenship. Through the training of individuals in the F4P methodology and curriculums of teaching / coaching values though sport F4P aims to:

  • Create, strengthen and assist community networks and partnerships;
  • Provide opportunities for social contact across community boundaries;
  • Promote mutual understanding and engender in participants a desire for and commitment to peaceful coexistence; and
  • Enhance life skills, sport skills and technical knowledge.

In addition to these key features, the operation of the F4P model offers some of the following residual benefits to the University of Brighton by:

  • Enhancing the student and staff experience;
  • Contributing to student employability;
  • Providing research opportunities; and
  • Contributing to both undergraduate and postgraduate taught curriculums.

Football4Peace Gambia

 

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