Azkals help promote peace through football clinic

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) along with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the Azkals kicked off the month of September through the 1Goal for Peace event Sunday, September 2 at the PhilSports Complex.
 
1Goal for Peace launched Peace Month by promoting football as a tool to spread peace throughout the country, starting with a football clinic led by the Azkals. Since 2004, September has been declared as the Peace Consciousness month, which aims to mainstream the peace process.

At the ceremonies, OPAPP Sec. Teresita Deles noted the need for unity and collective efforts among Filipinos as the main goal of resolving conflicts throughout the country.
 
“The time for peace is now. Together, let’s score a goal for peace,” Deles said in her speech. She also noted that the Azkals are champions of peace and have been invited to attend the “I am for Peace” campaign to be held at the Malacañang Palace on September 14.
 
“We welcome this with open arms and we want to help not just the President and the OPAPP but also the country,” said PFF Marketing and Communications head Ebong Joson.

Inspiring children
 
Azkals midfielder Anto Gonzales also sees this as a great opportunity to set a good example to the children.
 
“It is a great opportunity to make a little difference for the kids. Them seeing the players in person, we hope we inspire them enough to watch the team play and from that realize that despite the differences and diversity in culture of the team, we play as one in the hope of inspiring our country,” Gonzales said.

In line with their efforts, the Azkals will be dedicating all of their matches in September in support of peace. They are set to face Cambodia on September 5, Singapore on September 7 and Laos on September 10. They also plan to continue teaching football throughout the month, which the players believe is a powerful avenue to pursue peace.

After the series of friendlies, they will cap of the month with the Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup to be held in the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium from September 25-29.
 
The series of matches also serves as the team’s preparation in the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup where they are grouped with hosts Thailand, Vietnam and the winner of the qualifiers.

According to the OPPAP website, other activities planned for Septebber include a peace fair with the help of the People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPVR) and other non-governmental organizations which will gather Muslim and Christian kids, to allow them to interact and get to know each other.

Others include an “I Am For Peace” campaign with celebrities starting on September 14, KaPEACEtahan on September 21 which showcases peace process milestones, simultaneous “I Want Peace” Concerts on September 28 across the Philippines, a photo exhibit called “Peace Lens” and a golf tournament called “Teem up for Peace.” – Rappler.com