Sport Addressing Humanitarian Crises – Syria’s Struggle

May 13, 2022 

At Beyond Sport, we firmly believe that when used with intention, sport provides strong solutions to the complex social issues that divide us - across communities, countries and conflicts. In this context, it is a powerful tool to advance human rights in the direst of circumstances. In our latest series, we're highlighting just a few of the sport for development organizations in our network who are providing vital support, safe relocations, equipment and resources to those directly affected by crises around the world.

Today, we’re featuring Generations for Peace and Capoeira4Refugees who are providing vital support in Syria. We’ve also included links provided by the organizations with ways you can help. #SameTeam 

THE CRISIS IN SYRIA 

After 11 years of conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead and levelled entire cities and infrastuture systems, more than 12 million people are facing hunger and Syrians are enduring the worst economic crisis since the civil war began. There are 6.9 million Syrian refugees and asylum seekers and more than 6.8 million people internally displaced. 14 million are in need of humanitarian aid with six million of them being children.

The ongoing civil war in Syrian resulted from the violent reaction to March 2011 pro-democracy demonstrations that began in the southern town of Deraa. The demonstrations spread throughout Syria and were violently suppressed by government security forces. The conflict quickly escalated with numerous rebel groups springing up and foreign powers taking sides, sending money, weaponry and fighters, and as the chaos worsened, extremist jihadist organizations with their own aims, such as the Islamic State (IS) group and al-Qaeda, became involved. That deepened concern among the international community who saw them as a major threat. The country descended into a civil war that forced millions of Syrian families out of their homes and killed upwards of 400,000 people. 

Overall conflict activity has lessened, with a ceasefire holding in the northwest since March 2020 and one in the northeast since October 2019. However, airstrikes, shelling and other conflict activity continue on a regular basis, regularly killing civilians, destroying critical infrastructure, and at times, forcing the suspension of schooling and other basic services. Moreover, the government could launch an offensive in 2022 to retake territory that remains outside its control.

GENERATIONS FOR PEACE (GFP)

GFP is a leading global non-profit peace-building organization founded by HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein in 2007. Dedicated to sustainable conflict transformation at the grassroots level, the non-profit empowers volunteer leaders of youth to promote active tolerance and responsible citizenship in communities experiencing different forms of conflict and violence. 

With a mission to empower youth to lead sustainable change in communities experiencing conflict, GFP has trained and mentored more than 19,540 volunteer leaders of youth in 52 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. GFP also created a Syrian Refugee Response project in 2017, and in January 2022, began its first-ever program in Syria in partnership with the Tastakel Women's Organisation.

Sport For Peace is the organization's flagship peacebuilding tool. Using specifically designed sports-based games and activities that integrate peer-group and peacebuilding education, Sport For Peace promotes understanding and unity to bridge divides in conflict communities. 

The program allows social contact between communities in which relationships have been severed through war and other forms of destructive conflict, helping children and youth overcome negative images and stereotypes about those who have different abilities, religions and backgrounds to build acceptance and tolerance. 

We spoke to President, Dr. Mohanned Arabiat, who shared on GFP’s peacebuilding and conflict transformation work in Syria. 

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR Q&A WITH GENERATIONS FOR PEACE 

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT GENERATIONS FOR PEACE

CAPOEIRA4REFUGEES (C4R)

C4R has run projects in the Middle East and beyond since 2007. The organization trains youth who are experiencing the impact of war to become their own changemakers. Its programs and use of capoeira create safe spaces for communities to learn, grow and overcome the traumas of conflict. Capoeira was developed in 16th Century Brazil by enslaved Afro-Brazilians and consists of live music, sport and play, as well as storytelling and ritual. "The historical context of capoeira today resonates with the struggle of vulnerable communities, in particular refugees, everywhere. It is for this reason especially that capoeira offers a unique approach toward community empowerment," C4R states. 

The organization introduced its programs in Syria 15 years ago and is currently supporting several organizations in Ar-Raqqa. C4R’s main objectives are to increase the overall psychosocial wellbeing of young people impacted by conflict by supporting local talented youth to become Capoeira Community Changemakers, and to create a sustainable movement that can amplify our work at the field level through developing a global capoeira platform. 

Since its inception, C4R has worked with over 100,000 vulnerable children and youth. It has “measurably improve[d] the mental and physical health of children impacted by war and conflict” through its social capoeira programming in line with UNICEF’s Makani (My Space) approach. The organization addresses issues such as disruption of education, lack of skills and job training, discrimination against refugees and rehabilitation from conflict and displacement through its Monitoring and Evaluation tools that incorporate children and youth voices in program evaluations. 

We spoke to Marketing Coordinator, Naima Sheikh, who spoke of C4R’s sister organization RealtimeAid which provides vital support to Syrian refugees. 

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR Q&A WITH CAPOEIRA4REFUGEES 

CLICK HERE LEARN MORE ABOUT REALTIME AID 

If you’re interested in supporting C4R’s daily operations or implementing new ideas, access volunteer opportunities here.