‘Football for Peace’ Co Founder, and philanthropist Kashif Siddiqi has been invited to launch the historical first ‘Sport at the Service of Humanity’ conference in Rome on Tuesday the 4th of October. Pope Francis, religious leaders, Sporting greats, UN representatives and IOC members will also attend to explore ways of uniting the world through the power of sport.
Kashif, of Pakistani origin co-founded ‘Football for Peace‘ alongside FIFA and Chilean legend Elias Figueroa in 2013 to help ease religious tensions, both at home in the UK and abroad. The Movement arranges ‘Peace Matches’ in globally iconic locations through a unique Peace process which then create Cities for Peace and Young Peace Ambassadors.
Football for Peace make a big point of putting, traditionally opposing sides on the same team and then playing against a team of ambassadors known as Footballers for Peace. Kashif’s vision is supported by Prince Albert of Monaco, HRH Prince William, Prince Ali Bin al Hussein and sporting legends such as Ronaldinho and Pele. Working with the government, the plans are to roll-out the initiative to 10 Cities, 100 Schools across Britain over the next three years. London, Birmingham and Liverpool are first off the block.
Kashif will propose a Muslims/Catholics Peace Match to be held in the Vatican in the coming months at St Peters Square outside the Vatican. “Peace is our goal and Football is our tool, we want to use iconic locations for peace matches that accentuate the need for peaceful processes to cultural and religious difference. There is always a better way than war or terrorism. What better way than the globally accepted mode of football. It’s something that unites and irons through conflict,” says Kash.
The conference has been organized with the special support of the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee. The opening ceremony of the event, on the afternoon of Wednesday October 5, 2016 at the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, will be led by His Holiness Pope Francis, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and IOC President Thomas Bach in attendance.
The goal of the conference is to create a forum where thought leaders from different religious faiths, sports, business, academia and media can discuss how faith and sport can work together to better serve humanity.
