AMMAN, Jordan/MIES, Switzerland – Generations For Peace and FIBA’s Foundation, the International Basketball Foundation (IBF), on Monday signed a pioneering three-year partnership to develop sport for peace programs for youth in the capital of South Sudan, Juba.
Generations For Peace and the IBF, with the support of the South Sudan Basketball Federation and the South Sudan National Olympic Committee, will work together to develop 3×3 basketball programs to address existing inter-tribal conflict and improve the relationship among and between youth from the Dinka and Nuer tribes in Juba. The programs will provide a safe space to play sport and for the youth from two tribes to interact, break stereotypes and build greater tolerance, trust and understanding. All activities will be delivered in Area 107, a residential area that has been converted into an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located in the heart of South Sudanese capital, Juba.
His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace, said: “We are delighted to sign this new partnership with the International Basketball Foundation. With the support of our two local program partners, the South Sudanese Basketball Federation and the South Sudanese Olympic Committee, we will use basketball to create safe spaces and build greater trust, tolerance and understanding among and between youth in rival tribes in vulnerable communities in Juba.”
IBF President and FIBA Honorary President Yvan Mainini added: “We are delighted with the cooperation with such a well-respected non-profit organization as Generations for Peace. It fits very well within the strategy of the Foundation to address social and educational issues with basketball. The new 3×3 basketball discipline is ideal to support the values and objectives of the program and addresses youngsters of both genders.”
The joint 3×3 basketball-specific curriculum led by local Generations For Peace volunteers will engage 560 youth from the Dinka and Nuer tribes, traditionally rivals in the area, in ongoing, carefully facilitated activities to build sustainable capacity to resolve conflicts without violence. Approximately 2,500 members of the wider community will also benefit from advocacy events sponsored by the program.
As part of the partnership, volunteers who take part in the program will gain access to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Academy, an online e-learning tool through which they will receive a diploma upon successful delivery of their program.
Generations For Peace established a satellite office in Juba soon after South Sudan’s independence was ratified by the United Nations in 2011, and has been working ever since to equip local Generations For Peace-trained volunteers with the skills they need to create lasting positive change in the world’s youngest nation.
(This is an article received from the source mentioned and may or may not have any editing involved.)