Actionaid

In continuation of Cricket for Peace Series 2004 held in April/May of the same year, Beyond Boundaries Return Cricket for Peace Series was successfully carried out in India from 14^th Dec 04 to 7^th Jan 05.

ActionAid Pakistan imparted on a 3 weeks peace mission to India with a delegation of 22 Pakistani underprivileged children hailing from various towns/villages of Punjab (Rawalpindi, Lahore, Kasur) and Sindh (Hyderabad, Johi, Karachi), and belonging to different religious communities plus 7 adult delegates including a journalist and two folk musicians to India in order to spread the message of peace and friendship.

Together with Indian street/underprivileged children this delegation toured 9 cities in India (Amritsar, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Agra and Tilonia/Kishanghar in Rajasthan), where it played mixed cricket matches (joint India-Pakistan teams) and carried out other cultural and innovative activities to promote peace and friendship between India and Pakistan and to highlight common child rights issues. The concept of playing mixed cricket matches, i.e. Indian as well as Pakistani children playing in one team, serves the purpose of discouraging playing in a war like mood rather encouraging friendly interaction, fair play and team spirit.

In almost all capital cities of various Indian states, the Pakistani delegation was received and welcomed by the respective Governor of the State, by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in Bhopal as well as the children were very warmly welcomed by the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the first day they arrived in New Delhi. Further, the mere presence of this delegation in Ahmedabad in Gujrat was significant, the interaction with the media there most important. While in Hyderabad, Pakistani as well as Indian children raised more than two lakhs (Indian Rupees) fund for Tsunami relief through a mixed cricket match, they also highlighted the right to play of all children, when playing cricket and interacting with special children in Bhopal.

In India, this initiative was mainly organized by Leapfrog India Society, New Delhi, and Plan India, New Delhi, in collaboration with other reputed local organizations in the respective cities.