KAMPALA – The International Peace Day was marked over the weekend with Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda competing in the Great Lakes Peace football tournament in Kampala, Uganda.Burundi veterans team won the three-day event, held at Makerere University playground on Sunday, in finals that brought national teams comprising both ex-combatants and civilians. They beat hosts Uganda 2-1 in the final.On Friday, Rwanda lost to Burundi 2-0 and DRC lost to Uganda 1-0. On Saturday, Rwanda and DRC drew 3-3.Gideon Mugabo, the director of sports at the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) and Rwanda’s team leader, commended the tournament organisers, saying that the event was a tool for raising public awareness on how ex-combatants can integrate better with civilians.“Although we lost, we have achieved a lot through interacting and networking with other sportsmen from across the region. This will greatly unite and develop us into peace loving citizens,” Mugabo said.Aki Staurou, a World Bank Senior Conflict and Development Specialist, said the ‘Peace Cup’ matches will be held annually to change public perception on the youth as people who live on drugs and as those used to fight conflicts in the region.Running under the theme ‘Youth, Peace and Development’, the finals were organised by the World Bank after tournaments in the four countries that saw eight teams compete in each of the four countries.
