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Middle East Videos

Hooping for Peace! It's Really A Slam Dunk Deal

US Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, and some brave Tel Aviv Embassy staff accepted an invitation to play a twinned match between PPI - Middle East's young Israeli and Palestinian basketball players. It was a friendly game with both teams consisting of Israelis and Palestinians, boys and girls. All proudly sporting Blue (the "home" team) and Red (the "away" team) jerseys with "USAID" emblazoned on the on their backs, including the Ambassador. The event took place at Maccabi Holon basketball gymnasium. To be honest, it didn't really matter who was home or away or who won or lost, it was just a moment of great sportsmanship. Go! Teams! Go!

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The Jerusalem All Stars
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The Arbinger Institute and PPI: Seeing People as People

The Arbinger Institute, PPI's partner in peacebuilding, explains how its methods help PPI's young leaders "see people as people" in Jerusalem.

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PPI - ME Recruiting in Jaffa, Fall 2009

Footage from PPI - ME "Activity Days" in Jaffa, recruiting participants for its 2009 - 2010 programming season.

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Inside PPI - ME's Conflict Resolution Retreat

From October 15th - 17th, 2010, PPI - ME held an integrated retreat for some of its veteran participants to begin the implementation of its new conflict resolution curriculum, developed in partnership with the Arbinger Institute and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Learn about the curriculum, and check out some photos from this great event.

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PeacePlayers International - Middle East Highlight Reel

Game highlights from the 2009-2010 programming season for PeacePlayers International - Middle East.

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The Today Show in 2007: Play Together, Live Together

Watch this video for The Today Show's first look at PeacePlayers International in 2007, still one of the best profiles of our program around.

Testimonials

"When you get to know your teammates, it doesn’t really matter what their religion is."
Aoife Doherty, Participant, PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland
"I was on the train one day with my Jewish friends and they started making fun of an Arab woman…I told them to stop and that she was embarrassed and that she just wanted to go to work. I then told...
Adiel, Participant, PeacePlayers International – Middle East
"Programmes like this that work at the grass roots level with the young people in our society are vital to achieving sustainable peace within our communities. We are committed to supporting and...
Denis Rooney, CBE, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, Chairman, International Fund for Ireland
"I’m glad that Ronnie’s taking part in PeacePlayers…hopefully Ronny doesn’t have to go through what I went through at Ronnie’s age.”
Manny Macauley, Parent, PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland
"It’s hard to live without my parents, but my PPI coach is always there for me. He’s really more like a brother."
Sihle Cele, Participant, PeacePlayers International – South Africa
"I met new players I didn't know before, and learned how to play with new people. The best part was learning things from new players and different areas coming together. I learned you don't have to...
Amir, Participant, PeacePlayers International – Middle East
"We find that the PeacePlayers program brings in life-skills in a non-threatening way, and is helping to educate children on the big issues of HIV…We also find that in the PeacePlayers program, we...
Pamilla Mudhray, CSI Manager, Sasol, South Africa
"At the start [playing together] wasn't weird, but it was different because we would never have gotten the opportunity to go out and meet Protestants and be friends with them."
Ann Murphy, Participant, PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland
"A lot of kids believe that one kid on the other side is a good person, but every other one is a bad person, and they then carve out these narrow exceptions. What [PPI’s] curriculum is doing is...
Chad Ford, Director, David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding, Brigham Young University
"Basketball has added a new dimension to our sporting activities. Of course, it improves coordination and also improves communication between the kids themselves. It’s wonderful that PPI has become...
Jennifer Sonasundrum, Principal, Merry Hill Primary School, South Africa
"We typically use activities such as art and drama to bridge divides between the youth. We always knew that sport had the potential to do the same, but PPI - ME's sport day went way above and beyond...
Yael Gur, Project Manager, A New Way, Israel
"I was scared to death at first. But by the end of the match, I realized we were all the same."
Geina Mdungo, Participant, PeacePlayers Interational – South Africa
"By focusing on the game of basketball and the values of sportsmanship, the youth learn to break down stereotypes to contribute to an environment whereby children who play together can learn to live...
Bicommunal Support Program, U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus
"If she takes one thing away, it’s to know that there’s no differences from the other community, that everybody’s equal, and that she has great enjoyment with PeacePlayers."
Nula Doherty, Parent, PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland
"In the beginning I participated for the basketball, but then I made friends with the Turkish-Cypriots. Now we play and we all have fun together."
Evripidis Kardamilas, Participant, PeacePlayers International – Cyprus
"We work in an education system that is divided…PeacePlayers program is pointed towards the integration of those children. You’re getting children to mix in an environment where there’s not the...
Derrick Harkness, Principal, Carrs Glen Primary School, Northern Ireland