The Best of Our Knowledge # 942

Albany, NY – PEACEPLAYERS INTERNATIONAL -

For most children, sports conjures up images of fun-filled pep rallies, friendly school rivalries, and team spirit an experience that typically unifies children from diverse backgrounds. But historically, for children in Northern Ireland, this has not been the case.

That is until two Americans, Sean and Brendan Tuohey, established PeacePlayers International. It's an innovative global organization that uses the game of basketball to unite and educate young students and their communities.

Since its inception six-years ago, PleacePlayers has reached about 50-thousand children in troubled areas. It's launched programs in Northern Ireland, Israel and the West Bank, South Africa, Cyprus, and in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.

Traditionally, the sport a child plays in Northern Ireland, even the team they support, indicates their religious background. As a result, sport can be a source of mistrust, instilling feelings of prejudice at a very young age. But because neither side of the sectarian divide plays basketball, this is an activity that can be enjoyed by all children.

By setting up sustainable, cross-community basketball programs, targeting 10 to 14 year olds in Northern Ireland, PeacePlayers enables Catholic and Protestant children to play and compete with each other. Most of these children come from difficult flash point areas, where hostilities between the two communities is at its most intense.

Glenn Busby reports. (8:31)

**(Attention Program Directors and Listeners. For more information about PeacePlayers International, or even if you would like to find out about job opportunities, visit the PPI website mentioned during the story at: www.peaceplayersintl.org.)**

RETURNING FULBRIGHT STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS, Pt. 1
SETH BERNSTEIN:
FULBRIGHT ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT TO RUSSIA -

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. Government's flagship international exchange program. It's designed to increase mutual understanding between people of America and people of other countries.

About 14-hundred U.S. students and nearly double that number of foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

Late this past summer, U.S. Fulbright participants just back from overseas, shared their experiences at an orientation program for outgoing new Fulbright students and scholars

Featured in this story are: Tom Farrell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs and Seth Bernstein, now in graduate school at the University of Toronto, studying Russian History.

Next week, we speak with Jennifer Wistrand, a Fulbright alumna to Azerbaijan about the Teaching of Citizenship in a Post-Soviet World. And the following week, we wrap this series up with Lara Pomerantz who led an effort in the Dominican Republic to improve the teaching of Sex Education.

Glenn Busby reports. (10:04)

**(Attention Listeners and Program Directors. The website mentioned at the conclusion of the above story, should students seek more information on how to qualify and apply to be a Fulbright is: www.fulbright.state.gov.)**