Soccer Diplomacy Kicks Off in Maldives

March 16, 2012:  The U.S. Embassy to Sri Lanka and Maldives partnered with Maldives Police Service (MPS), Ministry of Human Resources, Youth, and Sports, and Hand in Hand to kick off a soccer diplomacy program on March 15 on Hanimaadhoo Atoll. After its inaugural game, the program will expand to other atolls and aims to improve community relations between local police and the public through sports as well as promote social values to Maldivian youth.

The program includes soccer camps, value-based training, and adult sessions. The soccer camps allow youth to participate in mentor-based soccer training, where MPS coaches will help youth learn valuable lessons of unity, cohesion, and teamwork. This direct interaction will foster stronger relations between the community and MPS.  Value-based training by local NGO Hand-in-Hand reinforces and instills Maldivian and Islamic values in youth, including compassion, honesty, peace and tolerance. The adult sessions allow parents to participate in group discussions with youth educators and counselors to better communicate with their children.

At the opening game, Police Chief Aboobakuyu Mohammed said, “Without the sports program the police would not be able to reach out to the youth in a meaningful way.”

At the conclusion of the training, MPS will sponsor a tournament for the teams, allowing participants to share their experiences of the program and to apply those lessons in their communities.