On July 4, in Berlin, Sports for Peace brought together icons and leaders from the worlds of politics, sport and entertainment in honour of the fight for democracy and solidarity, and in celebration of the unifying power of sport. The German Football legend and European Championship tournament director Philipp Lahm aptly described its transformative capacities: "Football has the unique power to connect people worldwide and to convey values such as fair play and respect."
Such power is of vital significance in today’s world, and German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius highlighted its relevance for facilitating respect and unity. He clearly asserted that "Peace at any price, even at the price of freedom, is not peace,"emphatically underscoring Germany’s continued commitment as the strongest European supporter of Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression.
When the founder of Scoring Girls, Tugba Tekkal, took to the stage, she issued a profound wake-up call: "Words are followed by gestures, gestures are followed by deeds. We must act now!" Her emotional appeal against racism and extremism inspired a standing ovation.