If Halid and David had not joined the PeacePlayers basketball program in 2005, they probably wouldn’t have met – at least, not under good circumstances.
David, a Jewish teen, immigrated alone to Israel from Ethiopia at age 12. Halid comes from a poor Arab village where people are mistrustful of Jews. But they got to know each other when their teams came together for activities, and later they both joined an integrated league team. Now completing a coaching certification program together, the boys volunteer with younger players and in social action projects in their communities.
“They help each other,” says Karen Doubilet, managing director of
PeacePlayers International – Middle East (PPI-ME). “Halid is an amazing
role model for his community. And David, who was at first shy and
suffered from low self-esteem, is a young leader now.”
This year, PPI-ME will enter four integrated teams in the Israel
National Basketball League – two in Jaffa and two in Jerusalem. The
Jerusalem teams will be the first to feature players from both east and
west Jerusalem. “We are so proud of this precedent-setting
accomplishment,” Doubilet reports.
PeacePlayers International was founded in 2001 by Sean Tuohey and his
brother Brendan on the premise that “children who play together can
learn to live together.” The global nonprofit organization uses
basketball to unite children and develop leaders in conflict and
post-conflict regions. PPI runs programs in Northern Ireland, Cyprus,
South Africa and New Orleans, where its initiative was recently handed
over to a local partner.
In Israel, the locally led charity aims to unite and educate Jewish and
Arab youth and their communities through basketball. Its curriculum,
developed in partnership with the Arbinger Institute, a US-based
consulting firm, combines on-court experiential learning with open
dialogue.
More than 300 children were registered in PPI-ME programs last year. “In
our new year we should have about 750 kids,” says Doubilet. The
children come primarily from Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and environs (in
the Jerusalem district) and Jaffa. “We work with schools, community
centers and sports clubs to recruit children, and in smaller villages we
use word of mouth.”
The program targets ethnically and religiously diverse populations,
including Ethiopian, Russian and American immigrants, and works toward
gender equality through sports in both Jewish and Arab communities. A
single-identity, capacitybuilding program in the West Bank provides
another outlet for underprivileged children and an additional training
opportunity for Arab coaches.
“PPI is a long-term program for ages 10 to 15, so you see them
developing as teammates and friends,” says Doubilet, a Toronto native
with a background in conflict resolution and experience with the Peres
Center for Peace. “At the start it’s awkward and there’s a language
barrier, and some kids have never met the ‘other side’ before. As they
become better players and a more integrated team, they become better
friends, and many friend each other on Facebook.”
Later on, she continues, the kids are eager to meet with the ‘other
side’ and tour communities they’ve never ventured into previously. “At
one point, you see that a ‘color blindness’ has developed. There is
quite a difference from beginning to end.”
When the organization runs a fun day to introduce the free program,
usually more children want to register than there are places to
accommodate them.
“Our local staff members are key,” relates Doubilet. “We utilize
American post-collegiate scholar/athletes who serve as ‘neutralizers’
and work with local coaches and program managers to build excitement.
The initial draw isn’t about meeting with the other side but about fun
and basketball.”
She admits that parents sometimes need a bit of persuasion to give their
permission, “but I’ve never seen it really getting in the way. Parents
are less reluctant to have their kids participate locally than if they
go on one of our retreats or trips. In those circumstances, they have to
be reassured that there are always people from their community there in
addition to me, whether a local coach or siblings. I also invite them
to speak with other parents whose kids have participated before.”
Doubilet explains that basketball, Israel’s most popular sport after
soccer, is a particularly intimate sport because just five players from
each team are on the court during a game. Therefore, players understand
that communication among them is essential.
Children are required to participate at least twice a week and may go as
often as five times per week. Some kids are involved in more than one
PPI initiative. There are twinned basketball clubs for Arab and Jewish
children ages six to 15, which offer joint peace education and life
skills activities and also afford them the opportunity to compete on
integrated teams of the Jerusalem Peace League and the Jerusalem Girls
Basketball League.
Another project is a leadership development program for outstanding
16-year-old participants. There is also professional development and
conflict management training for future basketball coaches, intergroup
facilitators, educators. and leaders such as Halid and David.
The costs of the programs are borne by donors, including USAID, Adidas,
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, family foundations and a grant from
the US State Department.
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