2023 University of Paris International Campus Inter-Foundation Games Football Tournament: Monaco Foundation in Paris pushes Operation White Card

De gauche à droite : M. Antoine VERRANDO, responsable sport du Comité des résidents de la Fondation de Monaco, M. Guillaume LALLEMENT, responsable football du service des sports de la CIUP (accroupi), Messieurs Stéphane DE LANGRE, Eric AKOUN, Hervé LE GARGASSON, Brahim BOUBKAR, les 4 arbitres officiels de la FFF (en jaune), Mme Martine GARCIA-MASCARENHAS, Directeur de la Fondation de Monaco, M. Bertrand REBOURS, Directeur du service des sports de la CIUP (accroupi), M. Gwendal NOAT, responsable culture du Comité des résidents de la Fondation de Monaco.

On 8 May, 250 international researchers and students participating in the football tournament at the 2023 University of Paris International Campus (CIUP) Inter-Foundation Games, which was won by the team from the Colegio de España, brandished a huge white card in support of Peace and Sport’s #WhiteCard viral campaign. The stunt was initiated by the Monaco Foundation in Paris to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

Martine Garcia-Mascarenhas, Director of the Foundation, together with Antoine Verrando and Gwendal Noat, the heads of sport and culture for the Residents’ Committee, worked with Bertrand Rebours, the CIUP Sports Director, and his teams to showcase the commitment and actions of this movement for peace through sport among the various teams, some of which were mixed. The photo showing the US team with the Pierre Claver Association, a partner of the CIUP which welcomes Afghan refugees, was a wonderful illustration of the power of sport: https://www.ciup.fr/lassociation-pierre-claver-noue-un-partenariat-avec-la-cite-internationale-pour-favoriser-lactivite-sportive-des-refugies .

H.E. Anne-Marie Boisbouvier, Monaco’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, marked the occasion by taking part in a written interview with support from H.E. Christophe Steiner, Monaco’s Ambassador to France. The purpose of the interview was to promote the values of the “Football for the Goals” (meaning the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs) initiative, and showcase the partnership between Peace and Sport and UNESCO on peace education, peacebuilding and promoting peace through sport: https://www.ciup.fr/la-cite-internationale-est-partenaire-de-la-campagne-whitecard-de-peace-and-sport .

Equipe des USA et de l’Association Pierre CLAVER (réfugiés afghans). © Antoine Meyssonnier