In an effort to trace a path of peace and dialogue on the basis of sports, the National under-20 Team of the Italian Pro League was a guest of the Palestinian Authority this past weekend.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, bursar of the Custody, followed the team, which was accompanied by the President of the Football League, Mario Maccalli and the Vice President of the Italian Olympic Committee Mario Pescante. The blue team signed a cooperation agreement between the Italian Football Federation and the Palestinian Authority, an agreement which gives a great honor for Italian football being an instrument of peace and friendship between Palestine and Israel.
For these young and promising players it was a succession of emotions and experiences beginning in Bethlehem, where, amid the sun and dust of the refugee camp of Aida, they played with the Palestinian children.
"I didn’t think I would feel such emotion and be able to offer a smile to these Palestinian children.” These are the words of Antonio Vacca, captain of the Under 20 Pro league, who led the team against the Palestinian National Olympic Team on Sunday in a friendly match, marking the inauguration of the new stadium in Dura, 11 km outside of Hebron.
More than twenty thousand spectators, all Palestinians, welcomed the two teams onto the field with banners and Italian and Palestinian flags. There was a fesive and expectant atmosphere for the match as they watched the Palestinian Olympic Team play with a western team for the first time.
"Today is a historic day,” said Mario Macalli. “The problems and suffering of a people can not be solved, but the sport is an important tool for union."
The next meeting will be in October, when the Italian Pro League will meet in Tel Aviv with the Israel Football Association to develop new joint sports projects between the two countries.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, bursar of the Custody, followed the team, which was accompanied by the President of the Football League, Mario Maccalli and the Vice President of the Italian Olympic Committee Mario Pescante. The blue team signed a cooperation agreement between the Italian Football Federation and the Palestinian Authority, an agreement which gives a great honor for Italian football being an instrument of peace and friendship between Palestine and Israel.
For these young and promising players it was a succession of emotions and experiences beginning in Bethlehem, where, amid the sun and dust of the refugee camp of Aida, they played with the Palestinian children.
"I didn’t think I would feel such emotion and be able to offer a smile to these Palestinian children.” These are the words of Antonio Vacca, captain of the Under 20 Pro league, who led the team against the Palestinian National Olympic Team on Sunday in a friendly match, marking the inauguration of the new stadium in Dura, 11 km outside of Hebron.
More than twenty thousand spectators, all Palestinians, welcomed the two teams onto the field with banners and Italian and Palestinian flags. There was a fesive and expectant atmosphere for the match as they watched the Palestinian Olympic Team play with a western team for the first time.
"Today is a historic day,” said Mario Macalli. “The problems and suffering of a people can not be solved, but the sport is an important tool for union."
The next meeting will be in October, when the Italian Pro League will meet in Tel Aviv with the Israel Football Association to develop new joint sports projects between the two countries.