FIFA and the Board of Peace have announced a strategic partnership to drive recovery and peace through football in Gaza. The goal is to attract investment from international leaders and institutions harnessing the power of football to support recovery, stability and long-term development in Gaza
“Today, FIFA and the Board of Peace have signed a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the signature ceremony which was held at the Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace Headquarters.
“FIFA wants as many people as possible around the world to participate in our game and benefit from the opportunities it creates. Football brings people together and contributes to a more prosperous, educated, equal and peaceful world. Together with the support of the Board of Peace, FIFA will drive this partnership which is built to deliver impact at every stage,” he added.
“We don’t have to just rebuild houses or schools or hospitals or roads. We also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope and trust. And this is what football, my sport, is about”, underlined Mr. Infantino.
FIFA pledged $50 million for a new stadium holding between 20,000 and 25,000 spectators, and said it would build a $15 million FIFA academy. The organization also promised to spend an additional $2.5 million for 50 “arena mini pitches,” or soccer fields, and five full-sized fields costing $1 million each.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump chaired the first official meeting of the Board of Peace and announced that nine members of the organization have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion for a Gaza relief package and five countries agreed to deploy troops for an international stabilization force in the war-battered Palestinian territory.
Morocco, founding member of the US-led Board of Peace, pledged to deploy police officers and military personnel to the Gaza Strip, becoming the first Arab country to publicly announce such a contribution.
The North African Kingdom, which has already made the first-ever financial contribution to the Board of Peace, also pledged to deploy a field hospital to provide urgent medical services and launch a comprehensive program to combat hate speech and promote the values of tolerance and coexistence.
