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Hooliganism, Part 9:
Festival of Youth

Footballers in the Festival of Youth

This photograph was taken at the Festival of Youth in Coatbridge on September 12, 1999. The Festival was organised by the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund. Its purpose was to allow Scottish young people to meet young people from Africa.

The Festival of Youth was launched by George Foulkes, MP, and William Bull, Liberian ambassador to the UK, and some of the participants. These included the Millennium Stars, a football team from Liberia, which included some former child soldiers.

The Millennium Stars were founded by two young men called Emmet Glassco and Mulbah Kpaiwolo. They found that when the civil war was over football helped to bring about reconciliation between former enemies. During the Festival they played friendly games with local teams.

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