PeacePlayers 2023 Impact Report 5 18 (5) - Flipbook - Page 41
— PEACEPLAYERS ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT —
COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE LIVING IN NORTHERN IRELAND
AND WHY YOU THINK PEACEPLAYERS EXISTS THERE?
Una: Well, obviously Northern Ireland has a history of conflict. Although it has changed a bit, the
bottom line is it’s still quite divided. So, PeacePlayers is trying to break down those barriers. It’s a
slow process, of course, because you’re fighting against not just the attitudes of the students, but also
the attitude of the parents, because that’s what’s being brought down through history.
Alex: I think it’s interesting. You’re 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement. And yet, there’s
still so many areas of conflict and some of them are entrenched, as Una said, in generational conflict.
But sectarianism is just one -ism, but then that could be then translated into racism, or sexism or
whatever else. And I think it’s actually a mindset. It’s not just between Protestants and Catholics.
The conflicts that exist are about people not understanding how to celebrate other people’s
cultures. I think that’s the reason why PeacePlayers exists in many places. Many people don’t
know how to disagree about things, but still be in a relationship with each other. And it becomes
very much around protecting what’s yours and not letting others share it. And that’s where I think
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WHAT DOES PLAYING BASKETBALL BRING TO THE
TABLE FOR KIDS?
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PeacePlayers has something to offer because we can all share in this and celebrate this together.
Alex: Sport provides something much more than just
physical benefit, but social skills and a way to interact
with others as well. And I think in an age where a lot of
that’s gone online and people are unable to connect in
real life, what PeacePlayers and basketball as a sport
can offer is really, really significant. Whenever I coach,
I’m like, you’re not loud enough. Talk to each other,
let each other know what you’re experiencing, what
you’re feeling. And that’s on the court. But also that goes
off the court. When you start to see people developing
those relationships, they’re able to be more verbal, to let
others know what they want. They’re able to maybe grow
in confidence and share for themselves. But that then
translates going into university, that translates then
going into employment.
A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ARE GROWING UP IN INCREASINGLY
DIVIDED SOCIETIES. HOW CAN BASKETBALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS?
Una: What you’re doing there is not about basketball. It’s about bringing people together to allow
for the conversations to open. And once you’ve done that, then that’s where it’s going to start to
bridge the divide. I mean, because people have this love for sport, then that’s going to bring all those
different cultures together. It’s creating opportunity. It’s creating a platform to have the conversations
that need to be had. Alex, would you agree?
Alex: Yeah, I think it looks like it’s just a game of basketball, but if it impacts a family, then that starts
to have a ripple effect. That means another family takes that on board and another and it’s just slowly
eating away at the conflict.
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