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Co ARMAGH
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PEACE LETTER PRESS RELEASE
CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE PEACE LETTER PRESS RELEASE
PEACE MAKERS FOR THE FUTURE DELIVER LETTER TO STORMONT MONDAY 3RD APRIL 2023
THE PEACE LETTER
Monday 3rd April, 2023.
FOOTBALL MAKES OUR SHARED HISTORY LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
After conducting our research projects and having presented our collective evidence at the FMOSH debate and discussion, facilitated at Queen’s University, Belfast, on the 17th of November 2022, we collectively assert that play is without a doubt the best way to celebrate peace.
In the light of our findings and with the unanimous agreement of all participants, the project’s Ambassadors for Peace decided to present all parties at Stormont with this peace letter, a letter that requests all parties to pledge to ensure that all sports authorities come together to promote and celebrate peace through play, in all our schools, on every anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on 10th April, and on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, 21st September.
We demand to celebrate peace through play. We ask all parents, teachers, sports coaches and our governments, to endorse the power of play.
We deserve lasting peace.
On behalf of all the children of Northern Ireland.
Yours sincerely,
Football Makes Our Shared History’s Ambassadors for Peace.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
‘Football Makes Our Shared History is a unique and powerful venture. By using the fun and the friendship acquired through sport, it changes the future of young people’s lives and of wider society too’
Professor Richard English, Queen’s University Belfast
CLICK ON THE FMOSH LOGO ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD LEAFLET
PRESS RELEASE
PRESENTATION
FOOTBALL MAKES OUR SHARED HISTORY RESOURCES
NORTHERN IRELAND FOOTBALL MUSEUM (FACE BOOK)
ULSTER RUGBY VISITOR EXPERIENCE
THE BRIEF HISTORY OF ULSTER RUGBY
The following Toolkit is from Football Makes History. Funded by Erasmus+. You can click on the Foobtall Makes History logos below to visit the website. This Toolkit is for using historical and cultural heritage dimensions of football to enhance social inclusion and promote diversity in non-formal settings. CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK
Football Makes History inspired Football Makes Our Shared History, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, Northern Ireland.
Football Makes Our Shared History (FMOSH) focuses on games (football, GAA, rugby, hockey, cricket, basketball and netball) heritage in the community. The essence of games in communities across the province and how it’s contributed and continues to influence a multicultural society. FMOSH will bring together a wide range of communities in order to explore and research a recorded, physical, oral and living history of football. Heritage through community games – focusing on women, ethnic minorities, children and special needs, lends itself to a generation of young people to take ownership of the project and celebrate heritage.
Football Makes History brings together history educators and youth workers from all over Europe to develop new educational resources that can help young people explore European history and heritage through the lens of football, as well as use football to tackle social exclusion.
A website to talk about our two favorite subjects combined: football and history. Some of us work in formal (school) education (as teachers or developers of educational resources), others are working outside the school with youngsters. Some of us are football organisations. Most of us are working in, with, around, through football. We initiated a project, and with support of Erasmus+, are working closely together.
Click on the banner to find out more
For further enthusiasm, here is an audio-visual recording of a conversation amongst some members of the FOOTBALL MAKES HISTORY team. This informal chat maybe considered useful to educationalists, project managers, teachers, facilitators, sports coaches and practitioners. Jonathan Even Zohar, Igor Jovanovic, Denver Charles and Ernie Brennan, discuss why and how, Football Makes History inspired Football Makes Our Shared History.
FOOTBALL MAKES OUR SHARED HISTORY LECTURE
DOWNLOAD FMOSH LECTURE PROGRAMME
FOOTBALL MAKES OUR SHARED HISTORY RESEARCHERS AT QUEENS UNVERSITY BELFAST
L to R: Prof Dominic Bryan, QUB, Ernest Brennan, CFA, Gail Redmond, Irish Football Association, Prof Richard English, QUB, Helen McGhee, Ulster Rugby, Brian Caskey, Limestone United and Tim Wareing, TW Braga.
Students from Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Drumragh Integrated College, Magerafelt High School, Oakgrove Integrated College and Sperrin Inegrated College, attended the FMOSH Lecture at QUB. Prof Dominc Bryan added to FMOSH research evidence that the essence of play aids identity and shapes our love for sport.
The specail guests on the panel: Gail Redmond, IFA. Helen McGhee, Ulster Rugby, Brain Caskey, Limestone United F.C. and Tim Waring, TW Braga, were questioned by the researchers on why they love their sport with a passion.
The event was a great experience for our students. They came away from QUB inspired. Mr Denver Charles, Magherafelt High School.
Congratulations for a great day. A really enjoyable event well pitched for all groups. My crowd have had a great time and loved the tour…. definately gave them a lot to think about.
Mr Phil Beddard, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.
‘Football Makes Our Shared History is a unique and powerful venture. By using the fun and the friendship acquired through sport, it changes the future of young people’s lives and of wider society too’
Professor Richard English, Queen’s University Belfast
‘Football Makes Our Shared History will continue to advocate peace through play – it’s a heritage we cannot afford to over look’
Ernest Brennan, Children’s Football Alliance
THE PEACE LETTER
Football Makes Our Shared History (FMOSH) delivered a Peace Letter to Members of the Legistlative Assembly at Stormont, Belfast, Nothern Ireland. The Ambassadors for Peace presented the Peace Letter to Alex Maskey Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
‘It was lovely to meet the FMOSH researchers. They are very welcome to Stormont. I look forward to reading the Peace Letter as do the MLAs. We congratulate these Ambassadors for Peace on their hard work and look forward to celebrating peace through play’. Michelle O’Neill
‘I will make sure that every MLA receives a copy of this important letter’ Alex Maskey. Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
‘FMOSH is a celebration. The Ambassadors for Peace (FMOSH researchers) have reminded all mums, dads, grand parents, relatives, families, teachers, facilitators, educationalists, sports authorities and MLAs, that the children of Northern Ireland deserve peace and that they demand to celebrate the Good Friday Agreement and International Day of Peace through play’. Ernie Brennan, CEO, CFA.
‘Northern Ireland leads the way with 20 Peace Pitches in every county which is now part of 63 peace pitches in 5 continents.’. Paul Cooper , CFA, Director.
Paul’s speech
Thank you to the MLA’s who are with us today to celebrate the work these astonishing young people have done during the Football Makes Our Shared History project.
We welcome Magherafelt Highschool, Drumra school, the Foyle Down Syndrome Trust and Limestone United.
The CFA has 63 peace pitches around the globe in five continents twinned with probably the most important playing area on the planet, The Flanders Peace pitch, next to the Island of Ireland Peace Park and the 1914 Christmas Truce and the game between the Germans and Allies.
This is the same football that you play in the playground and parks. Something for goals and a ball.
Play is your language. It breaks down barriers and opens dialogue. And not just with the children you have met during the project but also within your own family, discussing their past with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Everyone has a story and needs to be heard.
But of all the countries in the world from the US to Japan and from England to India, its Northern Ireland that leads the way with a phenomenal 20 pitches. Because you understand, you get why this dialogue and connections matter and its you who are the bench mark for the rest of the world to follow. You are the future.
I would like to end by saying congratulations to Magherafelt High school for an outstanding Football Makes Our Shared History programme and look forward to seeing you in Belgium.
Thank you.
‘It’s been a memorable day for the Club. We have enjoyed the FMOSH project and aim to continue with peace education through play. The advent of our new girls teams and delivering the FMOSH peace letter to Stormont, means the club is in a great position to celebrate peace through play’. Brian Caskey, Limestone United F.C.
‘It’s been a magnificant day. The pupils will remember this day forever more. Thank you to the Speaker, Alex Maskey and to the Memebers of the Legistlative Assembly for making us feel so welcome.’ Denver Charles, Histoy Teacher, Magherafelt High School.
‘We all had a great day. The questions raised by FDST added to the ocassion and the smiles on the faces on the peace bus home said it all’. Connor McGilloway, FDST.
‘All of our pupils enjoyed FMOSH and they especially enjoyed today. Thank you to Stormont for a warm welcome.’ John Molloy,‘ Teacher, Drumragh Integrated College.
‘The perfect day for FMOSH. We enjoyed every minute.’ Rory Woods, Teacher, Drumragh Integrated College’
FOOTBALL MAKES OUR SHARED HISTORY feedback DOWNLOAD HERE and email to CFA
Funded by Lottery Heritage Fund; FMOSH produced by The Children’s Football Alliance (CFA). The CFA are keen to further develop the FMOSH, therefore, we would be grateful if you could complete this form in order to help us provide the best service possible for future projects.
| 1 Please tick | Yes | No |
| As a member of staff was FMOSH an enjoyable experience? Please explain why? | ||
| 2 Please tick | Yes | No |
| Did your pupils / participant enjoy the FMOSH? Please explain why? | ||
| 3 Please tick | Yes | No |
| Did FMOSH allow you to be creative in delivering the project? Please explain why? | ||
| 4 Please tick | Yes | No |
| In terms of cross-curricular formal learning and non-formal learning activities, did the FMOSH achieve your aims? Please explain how? | ||
| 5 Please tick | Yes | No |
| Did FMOSH allow you as a teacher / member of staff to connect on a different level with your pupils / participants? Please explain? | ||
Outstanding Good Satisfactory Un satisfactory
| Please rate (tick) the success of the Project according to the following criteria: | O | G | S | U |
| 6. How did you find the online project webpages? | ||||
| 7. How did you find working with the CFA? | ||||
| 8. Did you enjoy your Project excursion to Croke Park? | ||||
| 9. Did you enjoy the trip to Queens University Belfast? | ||||
| 10. Did you enjoy your trip to Windsor Park? | ||||
| 11. Did you enjoy your trip to the Kingspan Stadium? | ||||
| 12. Did you enjoy your trip to Ulster Museum? | ||||
| 13. Did you enjoy your trip to Stormont? | ||||
| 14. Potential impact on future projects with the CFA? | ||||
| 15. Quality of usefulness of the GPGs website http://www.childrensfootballalliance.com/football-and-peace/ | ||||
| 16. Quality of administrative arrangements prior to project? |
| Please use this space below for further comments on: |
| 17. Particular strengths of the project: |
| 20. Areas for improvement: |
Thank you.
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