PeacePlayers 2023 Impact Report 5 18 (5) - Flipbook - Page 4
— PEACEPLAYERS ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT —
WELCOME!
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Another year of impact has passed, and this time, we wanted to focus
on one of the most important parts of our DNA as an organization.
We talk a lot about bridging divides, about leadership, and about
fostering peaceful and thriving communities. But how do we do that,
and what makes it successful? There are many components that
come together to make us who we are, but then there’s the glue that
holds it all together, and that’s BASKETBALL.
If you ask any of our youth what brought them to PeacePlayers,
they’re likely to say, “To play basketball,” or “Because it’s fun.” But
there’s a power to basketball, a power to having fun in a safe and
supportive environment. A power that translates Beyond the Court.
When you are trying to solve huge geopolitical and social challenges
on the grassroots level, there are always going to be difficulties, such
as wars and other situations that are beyond our immediate control.
This can make us pause, questioning whether all of this is merely an
ambitious aspiration. And then something happens, affirming that
indeed, it is achievable.
Every day, we see that the PeacePlayers communities that we’ve
created at all of our sites are strong. We’ve seen this throughout
natural disasters, political unrest, the global pandemic, and now, with
everything that has happened in the last six months in the Middle
East. But in times like these, our teams don’t shrink away - they step
up. They understand that they’re not just basketball coaches; they’re
mentors, they’re family. PeacePlayers is a place of healing, a place
where they are seen and understood. A space where they can dare to
hope that one day, things will be better, because they and the entire
PeacePlayers community will help make it better. You are part of that
community, and we cherish your support and solidarity.
In peace,
HALEY RILEY AND JAMIE ASANTE-ASARE
PeacePlayers Global Co-Executive Directors
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