Bosnia and Herzegovina: an Emmaus Football Tournament for Peace and Human Rights

From 27th to 31st July, the Emmaus Football Tournament for Peace and Human Rights was organised by the Emmaus group International Forum of Solidarity (IFS) in Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Approximately sixty participants from France, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Croatia, and, of course, Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathered to discuss issues related to peace and human rights…and to play football!

Under the warm July sun, step-overs, dribbling, shooting and scoring all made for a sporting atmosphere in Srebrenica. Over four days, mixed teams from Emmaus Europe competed against each other in good spirits. An excellent opportunity to gather companions, volunteers and leaders from different groups from across Europe all under one banner. “Emmaus is like family to us,” Vasile explained. As the first companion of the Iasi group in Romania, he was very moved to be taking part in the tournament. “Without the movement, we’d be forgotten by everyone, nobody would help us, starting with the government.”

As well as strengthening ties between Emmaus members, the tournament provided an opportunity to share the movement’s values, particularly through talks and theme-based workshops on peace and non-violence. “It’s so special to see people from different countries and cultures with very different backgrounds who are there for the same reasons and who share the same values of peace and solidarity,” Abdul, an Aghan photographer in exile, enthused. “Especially in such a symbolic place marked by horrific events.”

A place steeped in history

The location was not chosen at random. Srebrenica was the site of genocide, a place where 8,000 people were slaughtered in 1995 during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tournament participants were able to visit the museum and memorial, to find out more about the traumatic event in the country’s past and hear from human rights activists. “The idea of holding this event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and specifically Srebrenica, speaks to recent history and is also a reminder to us all of what the Emmaus movement is all about and what it can contribute. Talking about the past, peace, non-violence, offering shelter to those experiencing homelessness, this is all necessary if we want to overcome the past, move forward and build a better future,” explained Sabina Arnault, member of IFS and co-organiser of the event.

The tournament also provided a platform to forge links with partner organisations and share Emmaus’ values outside of the movement. “We have a second-hand clothes shop in the town I’m from. This football tournament meant we could meet each other and get new ideas and become more involved, such as by investing the money raised to house people in difficulty,” highlighted Jessica, an employee of an allied association in Sweden.

The tournament was summed up nicely by a Polish companion, “I guess you could say that Emmaus was the winner!“