The English Premier League has announced that it will build a floodlit third-generation artificial pitch to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War.
Since 2011, the Premier League has held its Christmas Truce Tournament Finals in the Belgian city of Ypres.
The tournament brings together Under-12 teams from England, Belgium, France and Germany in memory of the ‘Christmas Truce’ – when combatants on the Western Front downed weapons and played football in no-man’s land and posed together for pictures and swapped gifts.
A ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the City of Ypres and KVK Westhoek – the city’s main football club – has been signed by the League with the aim of having the all-weather pitch ready by November 2014 with an inauguration to take place when the Truce Tournament marks the Centenary of the war.
“Spirit of reconciliation”
As well as being used by local schools, community groups and clubs the pitch will be shared by teams from English and Welsh schools, the community and youth development teams belonging to Premier League clubs.
The League also aims for the facility to be available to other relevant football and sporting organisations throughout Europe to “come and enjoy it in a spirit of peace and reconciliation, especially for young people visiting the First World War battlefields”.
Ged Roddy, Premier League Director of Youth, said that the Centenary marked “a unique opportunity to build a lasting sporting and cultural experience” and to build upon the “wonderful bond with the City of Ypres” the Premier League has.
“This new 3G pitch that we will build represents a fantastic opportunity to continue the messages of peace and understanding associated with the original Christmas Truce match of 1914”.
“It will also provide a high-quality football facility for young people, linking the history of what happened in Ypres to their education. This will help those visiting from England and Wales to enjoy their trip and to understand football’s place in the history of the First World War”.
“It will also help the Premier League and the City of Ypres to build relationships further with other communities and organisations across Europe for many years to come”.
“Social benefit”
Jan Durnez, the Mayor of Ypres, called the opening of the pitch “one of highest-profile events” to mark the Centenary. He also highlighted the social benefit the pitch will have on the city.
The Mayor highlighted the impact the stadium will have on “young people both today and tomorrow” and that “it will be up to future generations to take on the spirit of peace and reconciliation that was at the heart of the Christmas Truce in 1914”.
“This pitch is central to that because it will bring in many young people so that they understand what happened here in Ypres and continue that process of commemoration”.
“Bonds of friendship”
The announcement of the pitch being built was made by Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, who in 2005 became the first living recipient of the Victoria Cross for valour in over 30 years.
He described the Christmas Truce Tournament as a “wonderful way of bringing history to life”.
“By coming here to the City of Ypres and seeing the names of the 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers on the Menin Gate, many of them footballers, they can appreciate the scale of war”.
“But Ypres, being the site of the Christmas Truce, is also a place where they can understand how sport can bring out the humanity in people. It’s a very noble gesture by the Premier League to build a pitch here and ensure that thousands of young people can come and continue to remember the courage and sacrifices of those from the armed forces”.
UK Sports Minister, Helen Grant, praised the project, saying that “the Premier League’s initiative will see football used to help forge lasting links and bonds of friendship as we come together to remember, and I warmly commend the Premier League for their imagination, generosity and determination in making it happen”.
Source: Premier League press release
Date of press release publication: 07/12/2013
Images courtesy of the Premier League
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News