Play soccer is a non- profit organisation that promotes health and social development through leisure-time programmes aimed at children and youth between the ages of 5 and 14. In addition to the possibility to learn to play soccer, children are taught basic reading and writing skills, health education, and social values and skills. The strength of Play Soccer's work lies in its voluntary nature: local people are trained by Play Soccer to teach participating children and youth soccer.
Since January 2001, there has been a close partnership between SOS Children's Villages and Play Soccer, initiated by our partner organisation FIFA.
Play Soccer is also the initiator of the Global Peace Games, which take place yearly with the aim of promoting "friendship, cultural understanding, peace and non-violence for all children worldwide". These games are organised and financed locally by the participating countries corresponding to available resources.
The Global Peace Games are organised in cooperation with SOS Children's Villages and FIFA. Two important recurring activities of the Global Peace Games are firstly the signing of the Manifesto for Peace and secondly the reading of the messages for peace and development by Mr Adolf Ogi, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace and Mr Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA.
A report of this year's Global Peace Games is available that gives an account of events in all participating countries.