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The sense of anticipation and excitement at the David InterContinental Hotel of Tel Aviv was immense. The tens of local media reporters and the many international correspondents in Israel were joined by the media accompanying Real Madrid in their hopes of covering and taking the most eagerly awaited snapshot: the Champions in the Peace Match presentation. Shimon Peres thanked the champions for their presence, stating, "Thanks for having come to this all-important Peace Match." His message is shared both by Arabs and Jews. "You have won our hearts over. Thanks for coming voluntarily to spread the noble message of Peace that you bring. May God bless you."
Ramón Calderón, President of Real Madrid, remembered, "When we received the invitation, we didn't doubt it for a minute. We wanted to back up this proposal and play here, where the kernel of the problem is. We will always support any fair cause, like this one which seeks the integration of Palestinians and Israelis."
Both parties exchanged gifts. Ramón Calderón presented Shimon Peres with a Real Madrid shirt with his name and the number 1 on the back. The President of Israel gave Calderón another short, also with his name and his die number, of the Peace Team, a jersey that will be worn for the first time in Israel by the mixed Palestinian-Israeli team.
After, it was the turn of Real team captain Raúl to speak. He expressed the shared feeling of the whole squad saying, "We are tired after Sunday’s effort, but we are also especially thrilled to put in a great performance." The number ‘7’ was followed by Abbas Suan, Arab-Israeli international born in Galilee and current captain of the Peace Team. Finally, it was the turn of Ron Pundak, General Director of the Peres Center for Peace, who asked all present to turn their heads towards six children who were in the room.
"CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE"
***fat Ekron and Rafa, the children of Jericho, a town east of Jerusalem located in the West Bank, represented the thousands of kids who partake in the "Twinned Peace Soccer Schools". The gate takings will be destined to this program of the Peres Center which tends to young Palestinians and Israelis from peripheral communities in need. These young boys from the program will be in charge of the opening act of the night participating in Peace sporting games together with the players of Real Madrid, proving that cooperation and team-work between both nations is entirely possible.
Ramón Calderón, President of Real Madrid, remembered, "When we received the invitation, we didn't doubt it for a minute. We wanted to back up this proposal and play here, where the kernel of the problem is. We will always support any fair cause, like this one which seeks the integration of Palestinians and Israelis."
Both parties exchanged gifts. Ramón Calderón presented Shimon Peres with a Real Madrid shirt with his name and the number 1 on the back. The President of Israel gave Calderón another short, also with his name and his die number, of the Peace Team, a jersey that will be worn for the first time in Israel by the mixed Palestinian-Israeli team.
After, it was the turn of Real team captain Raúl to speak. He expressed the shared feeling of the whole squad saying, "We are tired after Sunday’s effort, but we are also especially thrilled to put in a great performance." The number ‘7’ was followed by Abbas Suan, Arab-Israeli international born in Galilee and current captain of the Peace Team. Finally, it was the turn of Ron Pundak, General Director of the Peres Center for Peace, who asked all present to turn their heads towards six children who were in the room.
"CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE"
***fat Ekron and Rafa, the children of Jericho, a town east of Jerusalem located in the West Bank, represented the thousands of kids who partake in the "Twinned Peace Soccer Schools". The gate takings will be destined to this program of the Peres Center which tends to young Palestinians and Israelis from peripheral communities in need. These young boys from the program will be in charge of the opening act of the night participating in Peace sporting games together with the players of Real Madrid, proving that cooperation and team-work between both nations is entirely possible.
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