NCPR Events

Sports and International Relations:
Sports, and especially soccer, bear much similarity to today’s international relations. Important aspects of international politics can be found in the game of soccer. To become a member in the FIFA is almost as important for a sovereign state as becoming a member of the United Nations. Soccer may be able to establish a new state in the international system as well as to exclude a state from it. That is why Afghanistan, after 23 years of civil war, finally a newcomer in the world of international sports, must be welcomed in this event – even though it does not

actively take part in the World Cup. This initiative by the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation in Afghanistan, the project “Kick-off for democracy”, is aimed at supporting the dialogue between sports/soccer and politics/democracy.

Kick-off for Democracy:
Between (12-13th) June 2006 there was a small World Cup at the Amani high school, founded in 1924 by the German Dr. Walther Iven. In the run up to the event, the National Center for Policy Research made a pamphlet with 100 questions about the Afghan democracy and the Federal Republic of Germany. This pamphlet was distributed to participating schools. Before each game team leaders had to answer a quiz consisting of five questions about democracy. Every right answer counted as much as a goal in the game. The soccer game followed the quiz. The slogan of the event was “educational entertainment – entertaining education”. The event was intended to allow Afghan youths to participate in the bigger sporting event taking place in Germany as well as to promote the young Afghan democracy.
In order to reach a broad crowd of people with “Kick-off for democracy”, the KAF partner “Radio Television Afghanistan” broadcast the event. The first three winning teams each received a one-year sponsorship by German teams. Therefore all teams playing in the Federal League were contacted. Furthermore it is possible that the embassies in Kabul supplement the school teams which represent their countries with their national tricots.