AMECEA: ‘We are in Solidarity with Pope Francis’ message for World Cup Tournament’
AMECEA Online News supports Pope Francis message ahead of World Cup tournament, which kicked off on the 14 June 2018.
In his message which he delivered on 13th June during his general weekly audience, at St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father was confident that FIFA World Cup is going to be an occasion of dialogue and encounter; favour solidarity and peace among nations and will prove to be an occasion for expressing brotherhood between different cultures and religions.
“I wish to send my cordial greetings to the athletes and organizers, as well as to all those who will be following the event through the media,” an event, he said, that overcomes every barrier.
The words of the Holy Fathers are timely especially now when the world is experiencing political, ethnic and religious animosity in and among nations.
The truth is that FIFA World Cup is the world’s most popular and widely viewed sporting event. It brings together not just 11 soccer players from one nation as a team, not just a country or countries participating in the tournament, not just hundreds of thousands of fans in the stadiums but the world. World Cup shows that sports can make Nations; Fans, and Players, come together.
Memories take me back to my home village where TV sets are scarce, and DSTV is only for able families; people used to walk kilometres, sometimes late at night to watch world cup tournaments. The good thing about the world cup is that participating country will have supporters almost in every country. Fans like to identify themselves with the participating team for one reason or another; and that is why every game is worth watching.
Another remarkable thing especially among fans is that many people like to watch the games in groups away from their homes. The reason is that it is an event where people, apart from watching, express their sentiments.
In a very special way, people from countries participating in the world cup tournament often put aside their internal differences and unite behind their boys on the pitch. For example, among African countries where tensions based on ethnic, political or religious differences often divide the population, such feelings often wane as countrymen and women unite to support their team. Unfortunately, soon after the world cup tournament, the original state of conflict and tension resume.
In a similar way, the players who participate in the coming world cup finals are becoming the role models for the youth around the world. No wonders that some of the names of key/popular players featuring in the world cup may become names of some youth, just to keep the memories of the tournaments. The players, with all their skills, are positive role models. And when something bad happens in the pitch, it is usually condemned by everybody without reservation.
In addition to this, the players representing their countries are not motivated by money as they sometimes do while playing for their respective clubs but by national patriotism to bring joy to their nations. No wonder you find players crying if they lost the game, something rarely happens when they are playing for the clubs.
In support of the Holy Father, we want to affirm that World Cup has the capacity to bring world peace, fix global inequality, stamp out racism, conflicts between nations. We wish that they be eradicated simply because World Cup is a force for global good. Since Football is an established sport in many countries it is a clear fact that it has a major role in providing social cohesion.
We pray that the 2018 World Cup Tournament becomes the source of new life, occasion for dialogue and encounter; solidarity and peace among nations and opportunity for the nations to forge ahead in unity.
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AMECEA Online News Editorial Team
