Pope prays for World Cup to be occasion for peace
Published: Thursday, March 4, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 4, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.
This is how the world’s most popular sport could be portrayed: a peace marathon.
All around the world, the people pray during the World Cup, which this year in Brazil will be held between June 13 and July 13. They give their support to football clubs and players, and give thanks to those who dedicate their lives to the game of football for the betterment of humankind.
There are no wars in this kind of prayer. There are no national boundaries, no ethnic distinctions, no borders.
The global outpouring of support is a prayer that those involved in the sporting events, like Brazil’s football teams, the country’s politicians and the president of FIFA, could do more to bridge tensions or reach a peaceful solution to current and potential conflicts in all the countries that take part in the World Cup tournament.
“I believe this great opportunity belongs to football, and that the people across the world are going to make this World Cup the most powerful opportunity for peace since the end of World War II,” U.S. President Barack Obama said at a news conference Wednesday, according to Xinjiang Daily News, the official Xinjiang English-language newspaper.
“The people who watch this match are going to learn a lot from it.”
Obama added, “They are going to come away from this game with a profound sense of appreciation for what they have and for what they are doing.”
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff also spoke about the World Cup, saying, “We would certainly love to be able to say we had a World Cup that was more peaceful.”
She said, “The most important thing is to
