Football 4 Peace: 25 years of bridging divides
Founded in 2001 by the University of Brighton, the Football 4 Peace programme was created to address social fragmentation through a shared love of the game. Its early work paired Israeli and Palestinian children, laying the groundwork for a model that blends sport with a clear set of values.
Over the past 25 years the initiative has expanded to four continents, engaging more than 8,000 young participants and training roughly 600 coaches. Its reach now spans the United Kingdom, Israel, Palestine, the Gambia, South Korea, Colombia and Northern Ireland, where staff and students continue to deliver sessions on the ground.
Central to the programme is a values‑based coaching approach that emphasises respect, inclusion and responsibility. By embedding these principles into everyday training, the project seeks to develop interpersonal skills and encourage appreciation of diversity in societies marked by division.
Former volunteer James Clarke, who worked with the programme in Israel in 2003, recalls the experience as “extremely powerful”, noting how football can unite people from disparate backgrounds and foster lasting relationships.
Dr Gary Stidder, a key figure in the university’s sport department, highlights the lasting impact on participants, many of whom come from varied ethnic backgrounds, and underscores the programme’s role in nurturing future leaders.