By Michael Lewis

These sights were not exactly typical occurrences at the United Nations.


FIFA and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, announced on 20November the launch of a global alliance with the 2002 FIFA World CupKorea/Japan™ at its centre. The launch was announced on the North Lawn at the UN Headquarters in New York in the presence of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, football legend Pelé and US national team player Brandi Chastain among others.
Photo: FIFA
Pele and Brandi Chastain headed the ball back and forth to each other. A 15-year-old boy from Sierra Leone proudly held the World Cup trophy over his head. And UN secretary-general Kofi Annan was seen kicking the ball around with grade school children.

But there was a reason they had gathered on the north lawn of the UN on a crisp, cold autumn afternoon in New York: To announce a new partnership between FIFA and UNICEF on Tuesday.

FIFA announced that it has dedicated the 2002 World Cup to the children of the world, which will help publicize the Say Yes for Children campaign. That program urges people to pledge their commitment to improve and protect children's lives. Children also will have a high visibility during the World Cup in Korea and Japan as they will be featured during events and festivities and will lead the players onto the field wearing FIFA/UNICEF "Say Yes" T-shirts.

FIFA President visits Ground Zero

During his two-day visit in New York, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter alsovisited on 20 November Ground Zero, the area of the devastatingterrorist attacks on 11 September. Together with CONCACAF President and FIFAVice-president Jack Warner as well as Brandi Chastain, who won the 1999 FIFAWomen's World Cup with the USA, Mr Blatter paid his respects to the victimsand attached a FIFA pennant to the so-called "Memory Wall".
Photo: FIFA
FIFA president Sepp Blatter reminded everyone that 80 percent of the 250 million worldwide participants are under 18-years-old.

"It is a game for the children," he said. "It is a game which gives children hope. And this is necessary these days if there's hope for a better world. If we can give more hope to the children through this wonderful initiative of UNICEF, then we are very happy to contribute to be the agents for peace, the agents for a better understanding in our world and the agents to help children."

"After the tragic and troubling events of the last two months, this dedication is a welcome symbol of hope," Annan said. "Sport is a wonderful way of bringing people together and of mobilizing them to greater forces. Football in particular brings out a special passion and creates special bonds upon the millions of people who play, view and love the game.

"That is especially true of young people. Indeed, football can be called a universal language for millions of young people throughout the world. We are here today because we want to marry that language with the ways of hope contained in the convention of the rights of the child, in particular, the rights of children to play.

"Far too many children do not have the means or the support to play and enjoy themselves, to learn healthy ways to compete and to exercise their spirits as well as their bodies. We must ensure they are guaranteed that right wherever they may live and that conflict, poverty and disease do not deprive them of it."

That more than one billion people will follow the World Cup certainly will help get the message out.

"Surely, there could be no better message to send, loud and clear, to an audience of more than one billion football lovers who will view the World Cup next year," Annan added.

Pele felt his participation was significant because Monday was the 32nd anniversary of his 1,000th career goal.

"Today is a really special day for me because when I see FIFA and UNICEF together to say yes to the children, I want to remind you of an important thing of my life," he said. "Yesterday -- Nov. 19, 1969 -- was the same day I scored my 1,000th goal. On that day I asked (society) to be good to and look for the children."

Chastain, the defender who converted the game-winning penalty kick to give the U.S. the 1999 Women's World Cup championship, saw the program as an opportunity to allow young women throughout the world discover soccer.

"I made a promise 26-years ago when I first kicked this ball and fell in love that I would dedicate my life to making sure every young girl had an opportunity to play," she said. "With the development of the WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association) here in the United States, not only do we give the players of the United States a chance, but international players as well. What we hope is to build a model that will represent other women's professional leagues across the globe and give them an opportunity to enjoy the game of football and the education of life."

Alhaji, the 15-year-old boy from Sierra Leone (his last name wasn't given to the media to protect him) who held the World Cup, spoke at the UN Security Council on Monday, about the plight of children in his country and how sports has changed his life.

He plays volleyball and is a center forward on his soccer team.

"I am very happy the next World Cup is dedicated to children," Alhaji said.

Michael Lewis covers football for the New York Daily News.