Play Football Make Peace

The main purpose of WANGO is to serve and unite NGOs worldwide in the cause of solving humanity’s problems. I also like to think of that goal as the Era of World Peace. The formula we choose to arrive there is to set an example of serving others; of living for a purpose larger than just ourselves, and to challenge each and every boundary. At the same time, we seek to uphold the universal human rights of each and every man, woman and child. We value human dignity, the strength of family, and the right of religious freedom.

Where does soccer fit in with this vision? The objective of today’s match and the tournament is to present and spread the vision of a culture of peace through soccer. The Sun Moon Soccer Foundation selected WANGO to start a world-wide project to support youth, peace and soccer.

The Sun Moon Soccer Foundation believes that sports, art, hobbies and culture move the human mind and bring people together. The future world culture will be God-centered, a culture of love, and a culture of heart. This culture cannot be achieved by military force or politics. The culture of love and heart will result from the arts, from hobbies and from sports, and especially soccer. Soccer has an amazing power. It has a universal language. Centering on soccer people easily create harmony and excitement

Our young people today can focus on many things, but they are most productive and meaningful when they concentrate on sports. When young people play sports they become single-minded and there can be pure exhilaration.  Sadly, many youngsters focus on drugs, drink and sex which are destructive.

Play Soccer Make Peace! is constructive, and is based on the ideals of faith, discipline, self control, teamwork and harmony. WANGO, NGOs and our communities share the following characteristics with soccer:

Teamwork: Soccer needs team work. NGOs and the community need teamwork to be successful.

Fair Play:  Soccer needs fair play, justice, and transparency. Those are also necessary elements to establish peace, and NGOs and the community need to operate in that environment too.

Endurance:  Soccer needs effort. Try, try and try again. It takes great effort even to make one or two goals. Soccer players need to regroup, to build up the offense. NGOs and the community need to make ceaseless effort too, trying time after time, never giving up. Sometimes we take time to regroup, but are always moving forward.

Youth: Soccer is a game for youth. It takes the energy of youth. The work of NGOs and community building is the work of peace and needs the energy of youth. It is for the young at heart!

I ask you the players, the fans and spectators here today ARE WE YOUNG IN HEART? If we say yes, then we too can be PEACEMAKERS! 

God Bless You All.