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Football Makes Our Shared History researchers deliver evidence to Stormont
TWO thousand Football Makes Our Shared History (FMOSH) participants will be represented by their teammates, 100 young project researchers from respective schools and community groups across Northern Ireland, when they hand deliver a peace letter to Stormont, 12pm, Monday 3rd April.
Project organisers The Children’s Football Alliance (CFA) brought together the Irish Football Association, Gaelic Athletic Association, Ulster Rugby, Ulster Hockey, Peace Players and many more children’s sports to celebrate our shared history.
Awarded a £67,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the initiative culminated in an exhibition of children’s research.
Peace pitches have also been created by twinning designated areas of play with Flanders Peace Field in Belgium, site of the First World War Christmas Truces in 1914. There are currently 16 peace pitches in Northern Ireland and many more across the world.
After presenting evidence at the FMOSH debate, facilitated at Queen’s University, Belfast on November 17 2022, the researchers collectively asserted that play is undoubtedly the best way to celebrate peace.
FMOSH’s Ambassadors for Peace have unanimously decided to hand deliver a letter to all parties at Stormont on Monday, April 3.
The letter asks MLAs to ensure that all sports authorities come together to promote and celebrate peace through play in all schools on every anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10 and the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, September 21.
Signed on behalf of all the children of Northern Ireland, the letter reads: “We demand to celebrate peace through play and ask all parents, teachers, sports coaches and our governments, to endorse the power of play. We deserve lasting peace.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information about Football Makes Our Shared History and to arrange media interviews, contact CFA founder and chief executive Ernie Brennan on 07813 082584 or email erniebrennan@thecfa.co.uk
Alternatively, call Teresa Green at Chris Green Media on 01905 754336 or email teresa@chrisgreenmedia.co.uk
The Children’s Football Alliance was established in 2008 to enhance children’s development through play. The CFA seek to protect childhood through play.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund inspires, leads and resources the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. Visit www.HeritageFund.org.uk
Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK. Follow @HeritageFundNI on Twitter and @HeritageFundNorthernIreland on Facebook.