The Somali football federation “SFF” has described an encouraging step forward the football for peace tournament which was recently held by the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya that was participated by dozens of Somali youths in the city.
Somali Football federation General Secretary Abdi Qani Said Arab who issued a press statement on Wednesday praised the US embassy in Nairobi for holding such football for peace tournament to support the development of football, peace and the integration of Somali community.
“The US embassy in Nairobi has shown how it is committed to help Somali people get peace and stability through football for peace games” the general secretary said in his press statement on Wednesday.
“Somali people and particularly the Somali football family is vehemently welcoming the positive move taken by the US diplomats in Kenya lead by Ambassador Michael Ranneberger and Mr. Mark Zimmer the head of Somali affairs section of the embassy.
The theme was “Youth United for peace in Somalia” and over 150 young Somali men took part in that tournament held in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighborhood last month.
The Somali football federation General Secretary called on other foreign diplomatic missions in east Africa to support the holding of such football for peace games in and outside Somalia.
“The world has only learned to finance the nation’s political actors who had never taken any tangible move toward peace or public integration so this time we demand that international community supports sporting organizations of which the largest is football which can easily bring together tens of thousands of people at one time” he stated.
Somalia has been under going bloody armed confrontations for the last two decades and during the period all public infrastructures and governmental institutions were totally destroyed, while sporting organizations were still active in the lawless horn of African nation.
Somali football media department
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