The world’s largest sporting event, FIFA’s World Cup, is traditionally the culmination of an ambitious global effort to unite the world through sport. And to its credit, while convening 700 million spectators behind one final match is impressive, at the same time it must be acknowledged that not everyone is welcome to participate. The Gaza Strip is one such case. Due to its unique political status, Gaza remains one of the most isolated societies on the planet.
In 2010 1.6 million Palestinians were held in geopolitical limbo while Gaza struggles under an economic and political siege. Gazan involvement in international sporting events, and indeed many arguably more important activities, remains nearly impossible for the foreseeable future. The Gaza Strip is, inexplicably, excluded from the rest of the world.
Thankfully, as the 2010 World Cup host country South Africa demonstrates, such difficulties can be solved. After struggling under apartheid for almost five decades, South Africa serves as a powerful example for the rest of the world of how differing people can come together to address mutual challenges. Because of South Africa’s involvement in hosting 2010’s World Cup, the reality in Gaza is both disheartening, as well as inspiring. Difficult that the world moves on without Gaza, yet hopeful that progress is possible by working together.
In the spirit of banding together, the “Gaza World Cup” was a highly inclusive project that aspired to remind the Gazan community, as well as the rest of the world, that we share more in common than political adversity. Specifically, this two-week football tournament in the first half of May, 2010 featured approximately 200 Gazan professional football players joining together with 200 foreigner amateurs to compose 16 different “national” teams in the quest to win the “Gaza World Cup” – an artistic trophy handmade from the twisted iron of Gaza.
Beyond direct player participation, the tournament also involved united many unique communities within the larger Gazan society. First off, all of the 15 matches will be free and open to the public, welcoming both men and women. A second goal of the tournament was to highlight the resilient strength and culture of Gaza, with a special focus on partnering art and technology with sport. Each aspect of the project, from designing logos, to billboards, to each of the 16 “national” jerseys supported local artists, graphic designers, and printers. And the winning team members were honored by a trophy hand-crafted from the reclaimed iron of Gazan wreckage.
