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Reporting

The healing powers of football in the DRC

February 14, 2017 | Didem Tali | Al Jazeera

Goma, DRC – The decades-long civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) divided communities that had previously coexisted peacefully.

But millions of young Congolese still have a lot in common, particularly their love for football.

Football is the most popular sport in the DRC and at the grassroots-level interest in it keeps growing.

The sport brings together children from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, encouraging tolerance, reconciliation and understanding between communities and building a sense of solidarity.

As a cheap and accessible form of entertainment, it also offers a momentary escape from the realities of life in a warzone.

About the Author

Didem Tali

Didem Tali is a multilingual freelance journalist loosely based out of Istanbul and working in her native Turkey and internationally. She reported from Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin… Read More.

Original Publication
Al Jazeera
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