Nicola Visconti

Sports Against violence – Italy  

Baghdad, September 24, 2016. The second International Marathon for peace is a reality! More than 800 people running together in the streets of Baghdad to say that another Iraq is possible.

Families, athletes, kids, young people, women running side by side: another big proof that civil society exists and fights every day to live in a reconciled country and that sport is a powerful tool both to make people come together and to reaffirm the value and the possibility of a peaceful and fruitful coexistence among different cultures, backgrounds, religions…

One day before I participated in the framework of the Iraqi social forum held Baghdad for the period 22-24 of September, in a workshop with the organisers of the marathon. This workshop had provided us with moments of reflection and discussion about this important role of sport as a peace-building tool, inside the Iraqi. A discussion and a work that I started with the Iraqi partners since years, I remember how this work have produced the International Erbil marathon in 2011 and today the consolidation of the Baghdad marathon for peace.

Back home, as usually, I will remember the enthusiasm of all organizers and volunteers, the affection they showed towards me, the energy and joy of all participants, the emotion of running in the street as a way to say that the city belongs to people who live there.

A huge organizational and communicational effort rewarded with the active participation of common people and the satisfaction of being completely independent and able to realize such an event! Thanks to everyone and congratulations.