YFC organizes Peace Cup 2014 at Attari Village near Indo-Pak Border

Youth Football Club Rurka Kalan - A not for profit organization working for the development of underprivileged children through football in Punjab is supporting Peace One Day Organization movement of peace by organizing a Peace Cup 2014 – A football tournament to create awareness and promote peace in Attari, Amritsar on the occasion of International Peace Day.

YFC’s goal is to contribute towards the mission of improving India-Pakistan ties through its small efforts of promoting football at the border which has been nothing less than a roller-coaster ride. It is an initiative that uses the power of football to bring people together in Peace and to spread awareness of Peace Day i.e. on 21st September 2014.

YFC Rurka Kalan has been running a football centre of excellence for the past 4 years at Government Senior Secondary School in Attari village, only 2 Kilometres away from the Indo Pakistan Border at Wagah, Amritsar.

The event would involve 100 children aged between 6-14 years who would be engaged in competitions to celebrate peace through football. The initiative would start off with a Peace Campaign where these children would promote the message of ‘Wars will not protect our children, PEACE will!’ through an organized rally in the village.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage people towards building friendships and living with peace and harmony with neighbours which could become testaments between Indians and Pakistanis.Specialized activities of football would be organized that would focus on bringing together children of diverse cultures. The kids would explore the unifying influence of football and how it breaks the barriers of diverse cultures.

A tournament would be organized later on where each kid would play at least 2 matches in Under 8, 10, 12 and 14 age categories. The day would end with a visit to Wagah Border where children would get an opportunity to see the Army parade in the evening.

“Football is the most powerful sport in the world. It has the power to unite people. It’s a great honour for us to start this campaign for the first time to use football as a medium to promote peace and create awareness about building positive relationships with our neighbours. We want to mark the world peace celebration with football matches at Attari with the help of our strong team of coaches and youth mentors.” YFC President Gurmangal Dass emphasized.