Within the past month, I have had the opportunity to visit PPI programs in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. While visiting such famous sites as the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and viewing the artistic murals of Protestant and Catholic Neighborhoods were certainly highlights of both trips, they were not as vital as my interactions with the local and international staff of both PPI locations.  The amount of interaction and cooperation between all PPI programs is a major factor in PeacePlayers International’s success thus far. Meeting and talking with the likes of Dave Cullen, Trevor Ringland, and Harry Morra in Northern Ireland and Samer Elayan, Tomar Rubin, and Michael Vaughn-Cherubin in the Middle East confirmed to me that it is the people employed by PeacePlayers International that truly make it such a special organization. The accolades, awards, and prestige that PeacePlayers International has gained throughout world are directly the result of the enthusiasm, compassion, and shear courage of those working on the ground in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, South Africa, New Orleans, and the Middle East.

            Having visited Northern Ireland and the Middle East, one quickly learns the different context and attributes of each conflict that make each PPI program unique. Growing up in the town of Tulkarm is not the same as growing up on the Falls Road of West Belfast or in Agios Antonios in Cyprus. Similarly, going through a military checkpoint in the Middle East is not the same as going through a crossing in Cyprus or across any type of line or wall in Northern Ireland. The simple difference in how religion is used and practiced in each community is perhaps enough to illustrate the glaring differences of each conflict. But at the same time, I am reminded that while these differences might be very obvious, the one constant throughout is the shared belief that through the game of basketball; religious, ethnic, social, and economic barriers that once seemed impenetrable quickly become inconsequential and soon fade into the background. This is the legacy and reputation of every PeacePlayers International program, and I have seen that it is alive and strong as it has always been.