Seeds of Peace

LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Schoolchildren under the banner of “Seeds of Peace” will raise funds across the globe for the flood-hit people of Pakistan. The Seeds of Peace (SoP) is a New York-based non-government and non-political organisation which brings together children from various conflict-torn regions around the world for about four-week activities designed to promote peacemaking and hone conflict resolution skills. “Moved by the flood devastation in Pakistan, the schoolchildren (seeds) have decided to raise funds in their countries for the affected people,” Eva Gordon, director of Strategic Initiatives of Seeds of Peace, told Dawn.

This past Thursday, a collection of athletes from across the sports spectrum came together for the 9th annual Play for Peace program at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine. Legendary soccer player Mia Hamm and her husband, former baseball All-Star Nomar Garciaparra, joined NBA players such as Xavier Henry, Brian Zoubek and Brian Scalabrine (participating for the eighth time), and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Teresa Edwards to conduct sports clinics for more than 150 campers, but this wasn't your typical camp experience.

OTISFIELD, MAINE | Nomar Garciaparra and his soccer star wife Mia Hamm stop by the unique camp Thursday. ›› Watch the video.

OTISFIELD, Maine | Former Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, his soccer-dribbling wife Mia Hamm and a cadre of NBA players put on a clinic for Seeds of Peace campers in Maine. More than 4,000 campers have attended Seeds of Peace in the western Maine woods since 1993. Its original goal was to bring together Israeli and Palestinian teens in hopes of moving them beyond deep-rooted hatreds. Now there are teenagers from many other countries, including Afghanistan. ›› Read the rest of the story.