GAMES FOR CHILDREN:

This month Rational Games is pleased to announce the launch of its new strategic partnership with Children of Peace.  We have been officially approved as affiliate members of COP’s Coalition of Peace (the largest network of peace groups across the Middle East and North Africa) and look forward to doing great things together connecting peace projects using games and play with the needs of children, especially in this region.

Children of Peace (www.childrenofpeace.org.uk) is a UK-based non-partisan children’s charity organization dedicated to building trust, friendship and reconciliation between Israeli and Palestinian children, aged 4 – 17, and their communities. Their aim is to develop a shared spirit via arts, education, health and sports programs.  They are supported by a fairly illustrious international Advisory Board of Trustees, as well as by marquee patrons from Madonna, Judi Dench to Joe Biden, Tony Blair and the Archbishop of York.

The shared values with Rational Games are clear: games and play are a perfect match with the needs of children, especially in this war-torn region.  From our side, we will be connecting relevant members of the COP network with some of our own projects in the region, especially those that seek to connect so far isolated micro-initiatives with larger funders, such as Frontline Aid (https://www.frontlineaid.org).  We are also discussing offering a pro bono negotiation skills seminar to COP staff and partners in Jerusalem.

COP will, in turn, explore with us how to better structure the affiliate network, strengthen its communications and expand the reach of its projects especially beyond Israel and Palestine.  And, after we have been members of the Coalition for a while, we will begin to discuss joint project funding.

We are grateful to Richard Martin and Hamzah Nadeem for their support and interest in the projects and philosophy of Rational Games and look forward to a fruitful and long-lasting cooperation.

Comments and inspirations welcome!