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Amity in the Middle East
How the World Sports Peace Project and the Passion for Football brought together Arab and Jewish Youngsters

Geoffrey Whitfield
Geoffrey Whitfield is a retired Baptist Minister and University Chaplain. He has worked and written about the Israel–Palestinian situation for ten years and is currently researching into the causes of terrorism with the Human Rights and Social Justice Research Institute of London Metropolitan University.

“I have done many memorable things in my life, but this has been one of the most important things I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of.” From the Foreword by David Bedford, Director, Flora London Marathon

"I have been consistently encouraged by the work of Conflict Prevention through sport by Geoffrey Whitfield and his colleagues. Their successful work in Israel with Arab and Jewish young people has been the result of both vision and sustained hard work. The story will encourage and activate everyone interested and involved in peace work." Desmond M. Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus

“There's much talk about conflict resolution; less about conflict prevention, and even then, it tends to be in the rarefied realms of conferences and consultations. Other than the fact it is a good read, there are three reasons why this book is important. It deals with conflict resolution at ground level; it involves the generations whose futures are in the melting , and it's about sport - which is not just fun, but is where you people learn about justice, fair play, obeying the rules and team work.” Former Head of Religious Broadcasting, BBC Northern Ireland


“The shared vision – democratic, passionate, and rife with difficulties and pitfalls – is an expression of religion as passionate action. Imagine, if you can, the glorious incongruity of Arab and Jewish boys and girls playing soccer in Bethlehem or Nazareth, or in the shadow of the Sermon on the Mount. Downright inspiring.” Ron David, author of Arabs & Israel for Beginners

“ The book reads more like a suspense novel as Geoffrey documents the birth and growth of WSPP, the impossible made possible by the involvement of people who ‘have a scale of mind and heart beyond the ordinary’. Football (soccer) is a powerful metaphor for learning to trust, having confidence in each other, and working together toward a common goal . . . behaviors which continue to be all too elusive on a global scale.” J. Clayton Schroeder, bookseller and freelance writer, Portsmouth, NH, USA

The World Sports Peace Project brought together Israeli nd Arab youngsters and adults from towns in Israel, staff and students from four English universities, Premier League clubs, most notably Arsenal, the British Embassy and the British Council in Israel, the Israel Sports Authority, and runners in the Flora London Marathon. It became a pointer to more creative ways for community relations in divided societies.

Who is this book intended for? For those wanting to read about Arab and Jewish youngsters playing football together; for those interested in conflict prevention and peace-making; and for those wanting to run such a project in other political climes. Over three years, a successful Football/Conflict Prevention Project took place on an annual basis, close to Nazareth. Those who took part will be able to tell their children and grandchildren of the time when Jews and Arab-Christians and Arab-Moslems played in mixed teams against mixed teams. Their team could only win when they learned to work together, when trust and confidence in each other overrode political antagonisms. With such a model, the future of peoples in other strife-torn communities could move forward to hope, and not backward to despair.

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