The Indian chapter of Football For Peace (FFP) was launched in Mumbai by former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic and Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The inaugural peace match will be held on the premises of Indian Parliament later this year. Established by Chilean legend Elias Figueroa in 2006, the Football For Peace gathered momentum in 2013 when British south Asian footballer Kashif Siddiqi turned it into an international movement.
“Football has been a great unifying force across the globe. The FFP has been using football diplomacy to bring people together by promoting peace since its inception,” Nemanja Vidic said. “I am sure it can pay a huge role in making India a more tolerant society,” he added. “We have organised Peace Matches at many locations, including at the Vatican, the Eiffel Tower and the Big Ben. We have begun the process of organising India’s match at the Parliament in New Delhi,” Kashif Siddiqi, who has played in UK’s professional league, said. “We will be inviting Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to play in this match. We are also looking at other world celebrities, like David Beckham, the Prince of Monaco, as also top diplomats and India’s senior politicians to bring about awareness for FFP’s initiatives,” he added.
The FFP, which is supported by the English Premier League and the UK Foreign Office, will identify 10-12 cities in India as part of its Cities for Peace initiative. “Close to 1,600 kids in the age group of 7-14 years will be selected in each of these cities. They will be part of a year-long project, which will include 60% classroom education and 40% football training. Once we reach 5,000 kids, we will declare it a City of Peace,” Kashif explained.
The FFP is supported by footballing legends like Pele, Ronaldinho as well as The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William and Albert II, Prince of Monaco. “The work of Football for Peace is important and the fact that sport can do this, bridge so many barriers is fantastic,” The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William stated. “The FFP is a great initiative. The UK Foreign Office is delighted to be part of the entire project,” Crispin Simon, the British Deputy High Commissioner, said.
