Peace Through Sport Connecting Youth in the United States and Yemen

The Marshall Legacy Institute in partnership with the Hadhramout Foundation successfully implemented the second round of Peace Through Sport (PTS). Peace Through Sport is implemented by The Marshall Legacy Institute and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. Peace Through Sport is a partnership program between the Marshall Legacy Institute and the Hadhramout Foundation.

During the second round of the Peace Through Sport program, participants heard from two guest speakers and learned about values such as perseverance, resilience accessibility, teamwork, integrity, and time management.

Amara Wiggan is a former competitive Olympic weightlifter and former Division 1 weight and hammer thrower for the University of Florida track and field team.  In the area of weightlifting, Amara has 13 national medals, 3 national titles, is a Team USA member for the Youth Pan American Championships, she and holds a level 1 coaching certification.  In the area of track and field, Amara is two time Academic All-American, 9th all time in the weight throw at University of Florida, and she was top 25 nationally in the final year of her career.  She completed her master’s degree at the University of Tennessee studying sport management and currently works in sports marketing at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  Amara encouraged students to find what inspires them and shared the importance of resetting after facing challenges.

Nawaf Alamri is a Yemeni athlete who played chess, soccer, and table tennis.  Sports has had a significant impact on Nawaf's professional, social, and intellectual life.  He believes that sports are an essential part of maintaining the body’s health and promotes a spirit of cooperation and teamwork.  Nawaf played many different sports as a child and always had a dream to become a professional athlete.  He now works with an organization that strives to promote talented youth in the sports field. The focus of the organization is: Teamwork - working together to achieve the academy's shared goal; Respect and Diversity: mutually respecting others and encouraging acceptance of the diversity and differences of individuals; and Integrity - valuing truth, playing by the rules, and striving to behave ethically and considerately. Nawaf reminded students to always show mutual respect for yourself and your opponents in an effort to unite people.

In addition to these wonderful guest speakers, Yemeni and American students shared information about their cultures. Yemeni students shared information about Socotra Island located off the coast of Yemen, types of Yemeni coffee, traditional markets, clothing, food, and history. U.S. students shared information about sports, pop culture, day in the life of a school student, geography of schools, and the history of their local areas in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Round 2 of Peace Through Sport concluded with presentations of service-learning projects that benefited their local communities. These projects were impactful and meaningful, demonstrating the dedication and hard work of all participants.

Students and families from the Brunswick School in Connecticut participated in an event organized by Grassroots Grocery. Volunteers from Brunswick School and some of their family members traveled to Brooklyn, NY to help pack and deliver groceries to those in need. This is a great link to the UN's Sustainable Develop Goals (specifically UN Goal 2 "Zero Hunger" and UN Goal 11 "Sustainable Cities and Communities"), as the students worked within a local community to help those that have food insecurities. 

The female group in Yemen created bracelets with QR codes to provide care information for people having an epileptic seizure. Prior to creating the QR codes, the female participants met with doctors and conducted research to ensure the accuracy of information they were sharing. The women then visited schools and held information sessions to educate people.

Students at St. Edmunds Academy in Pittsburgh, PA identified a need in their community following major storms in the area. Due to the storms, accessibility to food and the need for food was a critical need. Students took action and held a food drive to gather needed items for the local food bank. They partnered with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and delivered their food items.

The male group in Yemen identified an issue with overcrowding in healthcare centers in their community. To address this need, the men created a platform to address this issue. After research and meeting with healthcare officials, the men started marketing and raising awareness to the platform. The platform is working, and the men plan to continue to raise awareness and expand the use of the platform to other areas of Yemen.

Round 2 of Peace Through Sport was incredible, meeting the goals of building cross-cultural relationships and developing positive leadership skills while building civic engagement through the common language and values of sport.

The Marshall Legacy Institute is now accepting applications for Round 3 of Peace Through Sport which will run from June 30, 2025 - August 23, 2025. For more information, please click here.