Northern Ireland

Stormont Ministers join Peace Players for cross-community basketball tournament

Over 200 children took part in the annual event at Queen’s University on Saturday

Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
By Allan Preston

More than 200 children have come together in Belfast to test their basketball skills as part of a cross-community event started over 20 years ago.

At the Queen’s PEC, the PeacePlayers Northern Ireland (PPNI) were also joined at the Summer Jam by the Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly as well as junior ministers Aisling Reilly and Pam Cameron.

The event is sponsored by the Executive Office’s T: BUC (Together Building a United Community) programme.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN

Founded in 2001, PPNI was created with the idea of using basketball as a tool for reconciliation and peacebuilding in a region still feeling the divisive effects of the Troubles.

Bring together children from historically divided parts of the community, the charity’s mantra is that “children who play together can learn to live together.”

Thousands of children have taken part over the years, developing friendships across traditional divides using primary school programmes, youth basketball leagues, tournaments, coaching clinics as well as leadership development and peace education.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Junior Ministers Aisling O'Reilly and Pam Cameron visit the Peace Players basket ball teams playing in the Queens PEC Centre in Belfast. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN