Bolivian President Evo Morales Plays Soccer Match At Roosevelt Island Octagon Field For Say No, Unite To End Violence Against Women

Image From Say No UNITE To End Violence Against Women

The President of Bolivia Evo Morales (Pictured above at right) participated in a Soccer game yesterday at Roosevelt Island's Octagon Field. Also present (left background), though not playing and in the picture above is former US Energy Secretary/ UN Ambassador/ Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson. Pictured with President Morales is UN Under Secretary-General and former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

You Tube Video of UNITE Roosevelt Island Soccer Match

According to the United Nations Blog, yesterday:

Top officials (including UN Women’s Michelle Bachelet and UNDP’s Heraldo Muñoz), UN staff members and ambassadors to the UN took part in a friendly football/soccer match against President of Bolivia Evo Morales’ team in support of the Secretary General’s campaign UNite to End Violence Against Women.

Image From United Nations Blog

What is the UN's campaign to end violence against women about? According to the End Violence web site:

Launched in 2008, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign is a multi-year effort aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

UNiTE calls on governments, civil society, women’s organizations, young people, the private sector, the media and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls.

By 2015, UNiTE aims to achieve the following five goals in all countries:

• Adopt and enforce national laws to address and punish all forms of violence against women and girls
• Adopt and implement multi-sectoral national action plans
• Strengthen data collection on the prevalence of violence against women and girls
• Increase public awareness and social mobilization
• Address sexual violence in conflict

More on Say No Unite To End Violence Against Women, including how you can help.

You Tube Video of Say No To Violence

Here's Bolivian President Morales in action on the Roosevelt Island Octagon Soccer field

Image From Elgolgo

and at rest with his teammates following the first half as reported by The Guardian:

Bolivia's President Evo Morales (2nd R) rests with his teammates at the end of the first half of their friendly soccer match between his team and top officials, staff members and ambassadors to the UN for ending Violence Against Women, during the 67th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Image From the Guardian

Maybe next time, let's see how the players from the Roosevelt Island Youth Program Soccer League match up against the UN'ers.