Sports definitely has the power to act as a bridge between different people and communities. A friendly football match comprising both the traffic police and drivers, mixed of course, was held at the Laboratory School in Kirtipur. The game was organized by Search for Common Ground – Nepal (SCFG) in collaboration with Center for Legal Research and Resource Development and Metropolitan Traffic Police Division.
“It’s a good sign to see the traffic and drivers play football together. It’s an indication that we can work together, discuss, and address differences,” expressed, DIG Prakash Aryal of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. The football match saw the participation of 40 drivers and 15 traffic police officers. Fiteri Moktan, 36, a tempo driver who played from the red team, opined, “We didn’t hesitate to talk to the traffic police officers, we shared with them our notion of them being rude and corrupt. They encouraged us to report such officers.”
The match was part of a three-day football clinic – an evidence based indoor and outdoor experiental learning training which utilizes football as a peacebuilding tool. SCFG Nepal have been conducting similar football clinics in Western and Eastern Nepal.
The main objective of the football clinic is to evoke a sense of empathy between the two fractions, and deepen the realization that traffic system is incomplete without the support of drivers and vice-versa.
