IPYG Launches its Youth Ethnic Sports (Y.E.S) for Peace Program in Sydney

Youth of Sydney come together for a friendly soccer match, celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and peace

Sydney, July 6, 2019 – The International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) held its first sports day on the 6th of July 2019 as the inaugural launch of its ‘Youth Ethnic Sports (YES) for Peace’ program in Sydney. The youth demographic in Sydney comprises of many different ethnicities and backgrounds. Consequently, the youth of Sydney gain exposure to a range of different cultures and global perspectives from a very young age by simply participating in school and further education. In these environment, the youth learn to connect, accept each other and develop friendships which are essential for an individual’s successful development and progression in a global society.

Hence IPYG’s ‘Y.E.S for Peace’ sports program seeks to further perpetuate this state of harmony within communities across Sydney by providing a platform for the youth to meet on a monthly basis and participate in various sports activities. This will enable the youth to create strong friendships and bonds within the community leading to a peaceful and harmonious society. Furthermore, in each session all those in attendance participate in a short peace education session and a peace work progress update where they learn the value of peace, methods of recognizing, resolving and preventing conflicts and also build a mindset which prioritizes peace over conflict.

On the 6th of July at the Fairfield Youth and Community Centre a group of over 20 high school and university students gathered at the indoor soccer courts at the Fairfield Youth and Community Centre. They played a friendly tournament, got to know each other more and learn about peace. Under the guidance of the IPYG volunteer referees, they were organized into teams and played a round robin of games until all the teams had played against each other at least once. After this all the players who had bonded by this time recombined into 2 big teams and played a goodwill game to end the day.

To conclude the day, the players lined up and shook hands and then all participants gathered for a viewing of the IPYG video and a short speech from the day’s sponsor Mrs. Tahera Jehanbeen, Founder of Afghan Professionals Group who thanked and encouraged the participants for their contribution towards peace. After the games, the participants completed a survey for peace based on the DPCW where they could articulate their views on peace and war in the world today. Photographs were taken, and the next Y.E.S for Peace session on the 11th of August 2019 was announced.
Inspired by Article 10 of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) by Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL) namely ‘Spreading a Culture of Peace through Peace Education’, the short peace education session planned for future sports days aims to encourage and grow a culture of peace within the society through the youth. This will lead to the reduction of conflicts and hostility within the community and eventually a more sustainable state of peace. While the ultimate goal is world peace, the starting point of this reality is creating and establishing peace within each community.