ONE DAY ONE GOAL 2010 - India Chapter

The kickoff for this year One Day One Goal soccer tournament took place at the freshly developed play field of Upper Kolbong. This play field currently can accommodate seven a side formation on each end. A total of sixteen teams participated in this out of which eight teams were under the age of fifteen years and the other eight teams were over the age of fifteen. 110 participants zealously participated in the soccer tournament and was witnessed by more than 500 community members from the lingten valley
The significance of this year's One Day One Goal tournament was that it was jointly organized by CHAI and the CAG/Youth of 6 CHAI communities and that this was for the first time that the communities of Lingten valley came together to host a Soccer tournament. The community worked very hard for more than two months to develop the play field to host such a big event.
The program started with a welcome speech by the CAG and a brief outline on the importance of world peace day. Participating players from individual teams belonging to different communities were mixed together and new teams were formed much to the surprise and astonishment of the footballers. Players were initially concerned as to how their newly formed team would perform and whether their teamwork would be effective. As the play progressed the players discovered that initially they struggled but with each match their teamwork and spirit progressed. In the process new friends were discovered soccer skills of fellow team mates were appreciated and barriers build due to their affiliation to their respective teams, communities were broken. Antup Lepcha a devoted football player from Malatang (a non CHAI community) says ' This is the first time that I am playing the preliminary match and the finals of a soccer match in one day, I have made new friends and we have decided to stay in regular contact by playing more friendly matches between our teams.'
The closing ceremony of One Day One Goal tournament saw the prize distribution which was managed and participated by the senior CAG members and some prominent citizens of Lingten valley.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Mercy Corps
• Mercy Corps India
• Ruben Das Pradhan
• Football Darjeeling
• Peace One Day
• Lingten Football

[animeshrai5]

Congratulations Keep up the Good Work..!!