DESIGNATED AREAS OF PLAY TWINNED WITH FLANDERS PEACE FIELD
National Children’s Football Alliance and the Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium, are commemorating WW1 and celebrating peace through the 1914 Christmas Truces by offering schools, clubs, groups and public play areas with the opportunity to twin a designated area of play with Flanders Peace Fields, site of the Christmas Truces. This is open to all schools, clubs, groups and public play areas around the world.
This unique offer will directly link your area of play with one of the most famous fields in world history. Flanders Peace Field lends itself to education in a way that brings cultures, young and old together.
In the week leading up to Christmas 1914 groups of German, British and allied soldiers stopped fighting to sing festive songs. Some on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ventured in to “No man’s land” to exchange gifts and to play games of football.
Today the truces are remembered as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity. An action taken by soldiers caught up in the conflict that was The First World War. Arguably, the horrors of war made men turn to a form of childhood to play a game of football to momentarily forget their tragic situation. It was a humanitarian act through the essence of play that every adult remembers in their childhood.
Declaration of Peace
The NCFA are providing schools, clubs, groups and public areas of play, the opportunity to twin their designated areas of play with the Flanders Peace Field. Working in partnership with the Peace Village, Messines, Belgium (site of the 1914 Christmas Truces) the Peace Field Project (PFP) invites you not only to commemorate wars but also to celebrate peace through reflecting on a moment in history that inspires humanitarianism.
Apply (FREE) on-line by submitting
AN EMAIL STATING PFP IN THE SUBJECT BOX TO THE NCFA: info@thecfa.co.uk
“The Peace Fields Project is a great way for young people to commemorate the First World War”
David Cameron, Former British Prime Minister.
Participants in the PFP receive:
- Two Peace Field Project Plaques. One displayed at the area of play and one displayed in Flanders
- A joint PFP certificate from NCFA and Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field
- A PFP kite mark
- Online links with Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field and NCFA’s Football & Peace website with access to forum / quarterly newsletters / events.
- Each PFP will have their home page on the Football & Peace website.
AIM
The aim of the PFP is to create AMBASSADORS FOR PEACE – peace makers for the future. Young people (inspired by the 1914 Christmas Truces) will absorb the essence of why fair play is important and begin to understand that sport can transcend conflict and cement friendships for life.
Lest We Forget
The PFP lends itself to cross curricular activities: sports, history, literacy, arts, humanities, citizenship, community cohesion and intergenerational relationships.
All participants are invited to sign a PFP Declaration, pledging to hold peace games event once a year throughout the centenary years on their peace field to commemorate WW1 and celebrate peace.
The Peace Fields Project is open to all communities promoting sportsmanship and equal opportunities.