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STORY: HAITI / ‘FRIENDSHIP GAMES’
TRT: 2.47
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / CREOLE / NATS
DATELINE: 13 JANUARY 2011, PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
1. Close up, boy leaning against soccer goal post
2. Close up, boy’s face
3. Wide shot, game of soccer being played by youth in uniforms
4. Med shot, two men lay chalk lines for soccer match
5. Wide shot, casual game of soccer played with older youth in street clothes
6. Med shot, three children in front of metal shack
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilbert Buteau, Adolescent Consultant, UNICEF:
”It’s an opportunity for them to get to know that, you know, they’re just people like us, and the same way around, from their perspective. And that we can actually be friends and enjoy, pretty much, the same things. Even if there are some barriers, like the language that we do not share, but at least the love for some games, for some sports, which is pretty much the same both sides of the border.”
8. Wide shot, youth soccer players have a group stretch
9. Close up, boy in red shirt
10. Close up, hand turning on water faucet
11. Close up, hands in running water
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilbert Buteau, Adolescent Consultant, UNICEF:
”It’s not just the people playing but also the people watching. Numbers can go all the way to 15,000 or 20,000 people easily, and considering that young people are about half of the population maybe we can easily say that half of the people attending are all people under 18.”
13. Med shot, two boys kicking a soccer ball
14. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Ernst, 11 years old:
“I’m excited to play with the Dominicans, to show what Haitians are capable and to show the whole country how much we can accomplish.”
15. Wide shot, soccer game played by youth
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Ricardo Noelizaire, Haitian Olympic Committee:
“What people should understand about the friendship games is it is a very small way to change the people’s mentality. Dialogue sometimes is very difficult. But through the games – bringing the two populations together – watching kids from the Haitian side and the DR side, hug each other, help each other to stand up, understand each other eat together. This is the future of this island.”
17. Med shot, through the net of the soccer goal, a player takes a shot at the goal
18. Wide shot, group of spectators lined up behind soccer goal post
The game of soccer is being used to foster friendship and sportsmanship between children in the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
It’s part of “The Friendship Games,” and includes cross-border events in volleyball, basketball, judo, chess, soccer and other activities.
The event is organized by the Haitian and Dominican Olympic Committees, with support from UNICEF, and will take place this June in two cities on opposite sides of the border. During the games, fans will be allowed to travel freely between the two countries.
SOUNDBITE (English) Gilbert Buteau, Adolescent consultant, UNICEF:
”It’s an opportunity for them to get to know that, you know, they’re just people like us, and the same way around, from their perspective. And that we can actually be friends and enjoy, pretty much, the same things. Even if there are some barriers, like the language that we do not share, but at least the love for some games, for some sports, which is pretty much the same both sides of the border.”
The games will involve as many as 500 young athletes. Everyone, spectators and athletes alike, will also be offered workshops in HIV/AIDS, health, and child-protection issues.
SOUNDBITE (English) Gilbert Buteau, UNICEF adolescent consultant:
“It’s not just the people playing but also the people watching. Numbers can go all the way to 15,000 or 20,000 people easily, and considering that young people are about half of the population maybe we can easily say that half of the people attending are all people under 18.”
Pierre Ernst is 11 years old, and has been playing soccer the past five years. He’s never travelled beyond Port-au-Prince.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Ernst, 11 years old:
“I’m excited to play with the Dominicans, to show what Haitians are capable and to show the whole country how much we can accomplish.”
Even though Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same island, their people are divided by language and formidable cultural barriers. The Friendship games could help bridge that divide.
SOUNDBITE (English) Ricardo Noelizaire, Haitian Olympic Committee:
“What people should understand about the friendship games is it is a very small way to change the people’s mentality. Dialogue sometimes is very difficult. But through the games – bringing the two populations together – being able to watch kids from the Haitian side and the DR side, hug each other, help each other to stand up, understand each other, to eat together. This is the future of this island.”
The hope is that improving relations through such methods will help the two countries better tackle shared problems such as child trafficking and the plight of ‘restaveks’– children who are sent away to be domestic servants for host families.
