The ball is round, and so is the world! So why not connect a journey around half the globe with a passion for the round leather?

From the country hosting the previous world cup, Germany, the journey should lead to the country hosting this year’s world cup, South Africa. Thus, three Berliners departed two years ago with a minibus: headed south, for the Cape of Good Hope—and with 50 footballs in their luggage.

By now we have crossed many a country, have witnessed victory celebrations for matches of the Africa Cup of Nations 2008, and have reached Mozambique. Most of the footballs taken on the journey have found new owners along our way and are now being kicked through the air by new, young and old, small and tall football fans in all sorts of places.

Stunned by the enthusiasm of Africans for this sport, which is known to connect nations and continents, we came up with an idea: During the weeks of the world cup finals we will be on our way back towards Europe, by then crossing Gabon and Cameroon. In these countries, many villages are not connected to the power grid, and therefore the “live” experience of the world cup remains a distant dream for large parts of the rural population. Wouldn’t it thus be fantastic to bring the world cup finals for one day into some of these villages?

Equipped with some experience as Co-organizers of a video-cinema in Berlin, we want to furnish our bus with the necessary technology to bring the games with mobile power generator, satellite receiver and video beamer to the country side. Moreover, we want to use the opportunity to learn how the people we meet have thus far experienced this sport and what it signifies for them. We want to document this in the form of little films. Especially, we would like to record messages from football fans in one village to the fans in the next village. These will then be shown there before the next game, as we continue our journey. Thus, a continuous connecting message is generated. One could also envisage a kind of “cup” on which some fans can “immortalize” themselves.

We are convinced that by organizing these meetings, small as they may be yet international nonetheless, we can make a little contribution to the mutual understanding of peoples and nations. Especially in the heterogeneous conditions of Africa, football can thus help overcome borders and connect people with one another.

The costs of this project are small compared to its potential benefits. Unfortunately, however, we cannot support this project fully from our own funds and are therefore looking for sponsors of the project. By mutual agreement, you could, as a sponsor, present yourself in an appropriate manor during the project.

For any further questions we are—due to a temporary break in our journey—personally available in Germany until the beginning of March. We look forward to hearing from you!

Contact:

G. Selent

E-mail: kontakt@wmkino.de

Telephon: +49 0151 232 79 490