If you've seen the commercial, at least you have an idea. The Ivory Coast's (Côte d'Ivoire) World Cup berth did more than bring joy. It brought peace.
This is a nation in the middle of a civil war. North vs. South. People die because they cannot unite under the same flag. It's sad. What has happened because of soccer, however, is borderline unbelievable. When the "Elephants" qualified for the Cup in November – the first time in history they had done so - citizens danced for two days straight. In both the North and the South. A call for peace followed. It has been seven years since the bloody feud began in 1999, and in that time there's been little progress toward a peaceful resolution. Suddenly a bunch of dudes kicking a ball find a way to win, however, and millions of people see the light.
The president of the Ivorian Football Federation, Jacques Anouma, recently called out once again for a new beginning. "We ask all the protagonists to put down their arms and talk peace," he said. "What cause does it serve to go to the World Cup without peace in our country? Without peace there is no glory."
We can try for weeks to imagine the depth of those words. No matter what, I'm betting we will come up short. In the name of something we take for granted, here is one hoot for the Elephants to go all the way.
BY DEVON O'NEIL
Summit Daily News
