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 PTS, participants heard from two guest speakers and learned about values such as perseverance, resilience, accessibility, teamwork, integrity, and time management.

During the round, the students heard from Amara Wiggan, 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, and holds a Level 1 coaching certification. In the area of track and field, Amara is a two-time Academic All-American, the 9th all-time in the weight throw at the 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. Through her story, Amara encouraged students to find what inspires them and shared the importance of resetting after facing challenges.

The students also heard from a Yemeni athlete, Nawaf Alamri, who played chess, soccer, and table tennis. Sports have 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 that participating in sport promotes a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. As a child, Nawaf played many different sports and dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. He now works with an organization that strives to promote talented youth in the sports field. The organization's mission fosters: 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 both themselves and their opponents in an effort to unite people.

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

Round 2 of Peace Through Sport concluded with the students' presentations on their service-learning projects and the benefits they created for their local communities. The students' projects were impactful and meaningful, demonstrating the dedication and hard work of all participants.

For their project, the Brunswick School students in Connecticut organized a "Grassroots Grocery." Volunteers from Brunswick School and their family members traveled to Brooklyn, NY, to help pack and deliver groceries to those in need. This project served as a valuable connection to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (specifically, UN Goal 2, "Zero Hunger" and UN Goal 11, "Sustainable Cities and Communities"), as the students worked within a local community to support individuals experiencing food insecurity.

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

Major storms in the Pittsburgh, PA, community caused students at St. Edmunds Academy to tailor their projects in support of the imminent community need. Due to the storms, food accessibility was a critical need for many in the local area. 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 Yemeni male student group identified an overcrowding issue at healthcare centers in their community. To meet this need, the men developed a technological scheduling platform to tackle the issue. After conducting research and meeting with healthcare officials, the men started marketing and raising awareness of their platform. The platform is up and running, 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 remarkable; it achieved its objectives of fostering cross-cultural relationships and enhancing positive leadership skills, while also promoting civic engagement through the shared language and values of sport.

The Marshall Legacy Institute will be accepting applications for Round 3 of Peace Through Sport, which will run from October 2025 through November 2025, starting in September 2025. For more information, please click here.