BUKAVU, South Kivu – Using football as a tool for peace and reconciliation, the New Hope Reconciliation Center (NHRC), in partnership with Congo Peace, has organized the Intercommunity Peace Cup at Kadutu Stadium in Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu.

The sporting event brought together teams representing different communities across the province, attracting local authorities, players and enthusiastic supporters who gathered to celebrate football while promoting peaceful coexistence and unity.

Addressing participants and supporters, Joseph Harera, Coordinator of the New Hope Reconciliation Center, urged players and fans to use sport as a platform for bringing communities together.

He called on everyone to embrace peace, mutual respect, solidarity and peaceful coexistence, emphasizing that community differences should never become barriers to unity and social cohesion.

Football as a Bridge Between Communities

Several teams representing different communities, including the Bashi, Babembe, Bafulero and Banyamulenge, are participating in the tournament.

Beyond the sporting competition, the initiative aims to create opportunities for dialogue, interaction and mutual understanding among communities through the unifying power of football.

Participants welcomed the initiative by NHRC and its partner, Congo Peace, describing it as an important opportunity to strengthen social relationships, promote tolerance and build peaceful coexistence.

For the organizers, the competition demonstrates how sport can go beyond rivalry and become a powerful instrument for reconciliation, bringing people together regardless of their community backgrounds.

Bafulero and Bashi Secure Places in the Final

On the sporting front, the tournament has already delivered competitive encounters, with two teams securing their places in the final.

The Bafulero team defeated the Babembe side, while the Bashi team emerged victorious against the Banyamulenge.

Following these results, the Bashi and Bafulero teams qualified for the grand final, scheduled for next Tuesday.

The decisive encounter will determine the winner of the Intercommunity Peace Cup, in a competition whose significance extends far beyond the final score.