THE FIRST PEACE PITCH IN SLOVENIA. Wednesday 6th May, 2026.
Music brings us together. Add dance and food, the perfect ingredients to celebrate Peace Through Play.
Slovenia got the first playground of peace in Semič
OŠ Belokranjskega odreda Semič today, as the first in Slovenia, officially joined the prestigious international network Peace Pitch (Playground of Peace), under the auspices of the world organisation Children’s Football Alliance that promotes peace and cooperation through sport.
Elementary School Semič became 82. a point on a world map of peace, which aims to establish 100 playgrounds of peace around the world, where the promotion of peace and friendship and Fair play will be the main guide.
The historical meaning of the new acquisition was underlined with their speeches:
Polona Kambič, mayor of Semič municipality,
Ernie Brennan, CEO of the Children’s Football Alliance,
Mladen ičmir, representative of the Football Association of Slovenia and
Tomaž Pavlakovič, principal of Elementary School Semič.
The event was also attended by many representatives of neighbouring municipalities, primary schools and organisations.
A cultural program was provided by the pupils of Elementary School Semič, who emphasised the values of peace and coexistence with their performance. Immediately after the official work, the playground underwent its true “baptism”. In the spirit of friendship and fair-play, 5 teams from Slovenia and neighbouring Croatia competed: Elementary School Veli Vrh Pula, Elementary School inakanje, Elementary School Vinica, NK Pero Peroj and the home Elementary School Semič.
Special guests, NK PEROJ FC received their Peace Field Project Plaque at The Semič Elementary School Peace Games. A special thank you to a man of peace, the legend Goran Miletić, for supporting the kids from Croatia
NK PEROJ FC received their Peace Field Project Plaque at the Semič Elementary School.
The First Ever Peace Pitch in Slovenia brought people together through play, music, dance and food. ‘The Peace Field Project Peace Pitch twinning event was truly amazing, heart-warming and memorable. A great day for the people of Semic and a living legacy for peace for the children of Slovenia,’ Ernie Brennan, CEO, CFA.
There are 82 Peace Field Project Peace Pitches on 6 continents. It is mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandads, grandmothers, cousins, relations, and friends who connect Peace Through Play.
‘There is an atmosphere of celebration. There are rightfully many memorials to war around the world, but very few to celebrate peace. The Peace Field Project is perfect for reminding adults that we were all children, once upon a time.’ Ernie Brennan, speech at the Semic Peace Pitch twinning ceremony with The Peace Village, Peace Pitch, Flanders, Belgium.
OŠ Belokranjskega odreda Semič
Playground of Peace at Semič Elementary School
Written by: Vanja Vukmanović, Matej Matkovič Last Updated: 06 November 2025
The Semič Elementary School has recently entered the Peace Pitch project. The project is based on a famous event from the First World War, when on Christmas Day 1914, French, British and German soldiers left the trenches and socialized with each other in no man’s land, where fierce fighting had previously taken place. In addition to singing and exchanging food, they also played a football game.
The Peace Playground project, sponsored by the United Nations and the English Football League, aims to establish 100 peace playgrounds around the world, where the main focus will be on promoting peace and friendship and fair play. The Semič Primary School became the 82nd peace playground in the project and also the first peace playground in Slovenia. We also acquired the famous red soccer ball, which is a replica of the ball used during the 1st St. Anthony. They played the game. The red color represents the red poppy, which is a symbol of the memory of the football match, a symbol of respect and unity.
We marked the entry into the project with a football tournament between classes. This school year, we are planning quite a few more activities related to the Playground of Peace.
The first-ever peace pitch in Slovenia has been inspired by the International Peace Field Project and Croatia’s International Peace Field Project Manager, Igor Jovanović, Head of History Teacher, at Pula’s Veli Vrh Elementary School.
In front of the iconic Pula Arena, the Roman amphitheatre built in the 1st century AD, located in the city of Pula, Croatia, Tomaž Pavlakovič, Headmaster, at OŠ Belokranjskega odreda Semič, Slovenia, is presented a commemorative peace poppy football by Igor Jovanović.
The presentation welcomes OŠ Belokranjskega odreda Semič onto the International Peace Field Projects. Tomaž, said, ‘The school is looking forward to organising their Peace Field Project, peace pitch and twinning their designated area of play with the Peace Village Peace Pitch, Flanders, Belgium.
Tomaž and his colleagues were invited to Pula on an Erasmus+ fact-finding mission where they met schoolchildren on a fun entrepreneurial challenge. The foundations for the First Peace Pitch in Slovenia were discussed and plans are now being considered for moving forward.
Igor Jovanović, said, ‘This is great news. The prospect for a network of Peace Fields / Pitches across the Balkans will inspire peace education through play for many children, parents, teachers, coaches and education authorities.‘