Its critics may wryly call the game a collision sport, but it was football which came to the rescue of ruptured Indo-African ties today, days after four Nigerian students lay bruised and battered in this Uttar Pradesh township.
With Colombian singer Shakira's 'Waka Waka', the official song of 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa playing in the background, Indian and African students played football alongside and not against each other as they attempted to put behind the unpleasant memories.
Banking on the healing power of sports, the local administration organised a friendly match at the Knowledge Park to eliminate the bad blood caused by the incidents, which were condemned as racist attacks by African envoys in India.
"A few incidents should not mar the long-standing ties between India and Africa. And this initiative is to heal the wounds that may have inadvertently been inflicted in our relationship.
"This is to create harmony at the micro-level and eventually present a model of spreading the message of peace that can be replicated elsewhere," Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate N P Singh told PTI.
The match was organised by the district administration in association with Sharda University.
"Both sides have a mix of players, comprising Indian and African students. The idea is to make them intermingle on the ground as we would want them to do so off the ground.
Both Indian and African students from the university were excited about the football match, which they concurred will help in improving the ties between the two sides, both diplomatic and people-to-people.
24-year-old Tinashe Munanga from Zimbabwe who is pursuing BBA course at Sharda University said, "We need to dismantle stereotypes we harbour about each other, especially the wrong perception that many in India have about Africa, like it is place of the poor and underdeveloped."
"This game is definitely a good beginning but we need to take it to the higher level," said Munanga, who played the game.
Nabeel, an Indian student pursuing BTech final year at the university said, "The message would be loud and clear. Sports has power to connect and I hope this match will help heal some of the wounds that may have been inflicted psychologically on our African friends."
The 50-minute match was played on the ground located opposite the Mandela Hostel of the university which has a fairly large number of students from Africa.
"For a few days after the incident many African students did not come to classes. Those living outside did not come to the campus as the incident had definitely affected them mentally. With this match we want to tell them that they are welcome in India and need not worry," said Tarun Negi, a BBA student.
Senior diplomats from Senegal, Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia and two guests from Uganda and Tanzania attended the event.
"There would also be song and dance performances later, again by a mixed troupe of students from both countries. We really want them to understand each other's culture, and what better way than through sports, music and dance," Singh said.
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