Thuram Promotes Peace in Africa

June 30th, 2007 | by: Laurie | Comments Off

During the season when you’ll find most football players sunning themselves on exotic beaches, our guy Lilian Thuram has been spending time promoting peace in Liberia.

(Seriously, did you expect anything different? I love this man.)

Attending a series of events on Sunday, Mr. Thuram called on Liberian youth to eschew violence, drugs and war. “Violence is dangerous. To have a better life, you need peace to build and develop your beautiful and rich country,” he stated.

He also called on the youth to work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and participated in two soccer matches involving young children, ex-combatants and amputees…

Mr. Thuram was on a one-day visit to Liberia, organized by the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA) and facilitated by UNMIL, to boost Liberia’s Sport for Peace programme, established earlier this year to reach out to young people who were affected by the conflict which raged in their country for 14 years starting in 1989 and claimed the lives of approximately 150,000 people.

At the time of year when everything you read about players is all about money, money, money, it’s kind of nice to take a step back and know that there are a few who have a better perspective on life.

Go, Lilian!

(Photo from BBC News)