Marist Brothers High School, Suva, Fiji

Marist Brothers High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys’ high school situated in Suva, the capital of Fiji. It is a school in the Marist tradition, founded in 1946 by the order of Marist Brothers, which has had a presence in Fiji since 1844.

The first Fijian Contingent left for Britain in January 1915. After further training in Britain they fought in the battles of Flanders. Nine Fijian soldiers lost their lives and 31 were wounded. A second Fijian Contingent left for Britain in July of that same year.

The first Peace Field Project Peace Pitch in Fiji is twinned with The Peace Pitch, Flanders, Mesen, Belgium, site of the 1914, First World War, Christmas truces.

THE FIRST PEACE PITCH IN FIJI

The Marist Brothers High School, Suva, Fiji welcome the Children’s Football Alliance’s Ernie Brennan and Paul Cooper to their Peace Field Project Peace Pitch twinning event, Monday 28th October 2024.

‘Marist Brothers High School share the values of The Peace Field Project. We are very proud to be the first ever peace pitch in Fiji. The First World War historical connections with Fiji help educate our boys in many ways. We are a school that prides itself on sport and inclusion. We look forward to annual events celebrating peace through play‘. Master Asish Dayal, Principal, Marist Brothers High School, Suva.

Paul Cooper, Director, CFA (left) and Master Asish Dayal, Principal, Marist Brothers High School (right) signing The Peace Field Project Declaration of Peace Certificates.

‘The Peace Field Project continues to grow and it is schools like the Marist Brothers High School, Fiji that indentify with the value of peace education through play. The Children’s Football Alliance welcomes the first ever Fiji peace pitch too the International Peace Field Project.’ Ernie Brennan, CEO, CFA.

Ernie Brennan, CEO, CFA, talks to the Marist Brothers High School boys about the significance of their peace pitch twinned with Flanders Peace Field, site of the 1914 First World War, Christmas truces.

The twinning event witnessed the hoisting of the Commonwealth Flag of Peace for the first time in Fiji at the Marist Brothers High School. On behalf of the Commonwealth Trust the CFA presented Master Asish Dayal, Principal with the Commonwealth Flag of Peace. The Marist Brother’s pupils sang their school anthem to celebrate the event.

The Marist Brothers High School boys would like to thank Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club for the kind donation of Premier League football kits.

St Joseph’s College (Marist Brothers) Apia, Samoa.

Throughout 1914, many Samoan-born men enlisted in their homelands and went on to fight at Gallipoli, the Western Front, and various places in France and Belgium. They were employed in the munitions depots with the Rarotongans, doing extremely dangerous work.

The first Peace Field Project Peace Pitch in Samoa will be twinned with Flanders Peace Field, Mesen, Belgium, site of the 1914 First World War, Christmas truces.

UPDATE 23/10/2024

THE FIRST EVER PEACE PITCH IN SAMOA

In the week of the Commowealth Heads Of Goverment Meeting 2024, Samoa; St Joseph College, Lotopa became the first peace pitch in the Pacific to twin its designated area of play with Flanders Peace Field, Mesen, Flanders, site of the 1914 First World War Christmas Truces.

The signing of the Peace Field Project Peace Declaration Certificate. Celebrating peace education through play.

‘This is truly a wonderful event for the young people of St Joseph College. The shared values of peace education through play is in tune with our school and Samoan culture‘, Kevin O’Malley, Principal.

The event was in the memory of Joe Chan Ting (Nuuleleiuamatagofie). Joe, connected St Joeseph College’s peace pitch with Flanders Peace Field. His wife, Vanda and their three sons, Oliver Junior Cepha Chan Ting, Faasoa Aniseto Leonidas Chan Ting and Fainuulelei Trevino Chan Ting, attended the historic event. Lenalei Daijimara Chan Ting, Joe and Vanda’s daughter, currently attends Auckland Unversity of Technology and she was there in spirit. Joe’s family signed the Peace Field Project Peace Declaration Certificate which officially twins Samoa’s peace pitch with Flanders Peace Field Peace Pitch, Mesen, Flanders, Belgium.

Joe Chan Ting (Nuuleleiuamatagofie)

‘These are tears of joy by the way. Anybody who met Joe knew he would do anything to support young people. This is a special day for St Joseph’s College and it will be remembered for many years to come.‘ Vanda Chan Ting

Vanda Chan Ting

Young people from the College and surrounding communities were presented with an English Premier League football kit kindly donated by Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club.

‘The children from Samoa, about as far as you can go across the world, loved their Brighton & Hove Albion football kits‘. Paul Cooper, Co Founder, Director, CFA.

Together with the Commonwealth Bond Trust the CFA helped hoist the Commonwealth Flag of Peace for the first time in Samoa at St Joseph’s College.

‘I was truly moved to hear the wonderful Samoan voices sing traditional songs at the ceremony. It was an honour to meet Joe’s family. I will remember Vanda’s words about Joe for ever‘. Ernie Brennan. Founder, CEO, CFA.

Football United invited The Children’s Football Alliance to the first ever Peace Field Project Peace Pitch in Australia. The children and staff of Miller Technology High School, Sydney, welcomed the CFA’s Ernie Brennan and Paul Cooper. The guys facilitated games that are played at the Global Peace Games, Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium. Football United’s Pru, Noor, Natashia and Anne Bunde-Birouste, founder of Football United, joined in the activities which were described by football player Mohamed as fun fun fun.

‘There is a great sense of community through play on the peace pitch and there is a lot of self-learning with children from diverse back grounds‘ Pru

‘The kids enjoyed it and the staff enjoyed it too. Our Peace Pitch brings young and old together through play. We celebrate diversity and the Peace Pitch lends itself to sportsmanship and friendship‘ Natasha.

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‘Everytime the kids come here to play they are reminded why we are here together. We are a special football club that values peace and harmony’ Anne Bunde-Birouste, founder of Football United

TO FIND OUT MORE CLICK HERE

SOUTHLAND FOOTBALL LINK

PEACE FIELD PROJECT OCTOBER 2024

UPDATE 09/10/24

The Children’s Football Alliance were special guests at Southland Football, Turnbull Thomson, Park, Invercargill, New Zealand.

‘The first Peace Field Project peace pitch in New Zealand has been a huge success,’ Iain Walker, Football Development & Operations Manager.

‘A lot of people, young and old, connect with the Peace Pitch. It is an added dimension for football coaches and facilitators. The peace pitch promotes sportsmanship and friendship in a way that gets people talking‘. Alexander, Volunteer Football Coach.

The Children’s Football Alliance delivered Peace Field Project workshops for 6 to 10 yr olds and 11 to 13 yr olds. ‘The story of the Christmas truces is amazing‘. Findlay, Footballer.

The Children’s Football Alliacne’s Paul Cooper (left) presented Southland Football’s Iain Walker (right) with a CFA shirt. ‘The work Southland Football do for all communities is examplary. It is testament to them that the Peace Field Project’s peace pitch is at the heart of their feel good factor‘.

For more information about Southland Football’s Peace Field Project READ HERE

Peace kaupapa: Bringing the Peace Pitch project to Invercargill last week are Children’s Football Alliance Charitable Trust founder Ernie Brennan (left) and co-founder Paul Cooper near the Troopers’ Memorial monument.

PHOTO: NINA TAPU

PEACE education through play is at the heart of an international children’s charity that has left its mark on a Southland football pitch.

Founders of the Children’s Football Alliance (CFA) placed a plaque at the Southland football pitch as part of the Peace Field Project last week.

CFA co-founder Paul Cooper said the aim of the project was to teach children peace education through sport, music and the arts.

There are 75 peace pitches in six continents and the idea was based around the Christmas truce in Belgium.

During World War 1, on Christmas Eve, there were several Christmas truces where the fighting stopped for a time.

In 1914, Allied soldiers met German soldiers in no-man’s land.

They buried their dead, exchanged gifts, showed pictures of their loved ones and, in some cases, took their jackets and helmets off, and had a game of football, Cooper said.

Last week, Cooper and fellow cofounder Ernie Brennan, along with Iain Walker from Football Southland, placed a plaque at the football pitch at Turnbull Thompson Park, acknowledging the International Day of Peace which was on September 21.

‘‘If you can have a game of football against your enemy during a world war, maybe anything is possible,’’ Brennan said.

‘‘So what we do is that when a pitch is twinned, a plaque goes on to their pitch, like what we’ve just done with Southland Football.

‘‘The other plaque goes on the Peace Pitch in Flanders, Belgium, which is the most important football pitch in the world, in terms of its significance.

‘‘Once you’ve twinned a pitch, children from your community can go to the Flanders Peace Pitch for a week in September,’’ Brennan said.

Last month, about 60 children from 20 countries. including Northern Ireland, Scotland, Croatia and India, attended the Peace Field Project for a week of peace education through play in Belgium.

Among them were tamariki who were from war-torn countries and refugees.

‘‘There were children who came from Delhi in India who lived in the slums and who’d never been out of Delhi, let alone a different continent.

‘‘And then there were refugee children that were based in Belgium from a number of different countries who had come for a week of peace,’’ he said.

The charitable trust encouraged equity and diversity and ensured there were an equal share of genders, abilities and backgrounds playing all types of sports and taking part in the programme.

‘‘They come from different communities, and that’s how they connect. so they can contextualise today with the historic of what happened over a hundred years ago.

‘‘It’s pretty hard to turn against different communities when you’ve grown up playing together.’’

The trust’s founders hope the placing of plaques at peace pitches in Aotearoa, Australia, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga will spur children to ask the question: ‘‘What is a peace pitch?’’