World War 1 : Football Remembers the Christmas Truce
The British Embassy in Moscow together with the charitable fund “Under the Flag of Kindness” hosted a football match to commemorate the centenary of the First World War Christmas Truce.
This week, across the UK, players at every level of football - from Premier League to primary schools - will play a match of football to mark the centenary of the First World War Christmas Truce.
The Christmas Truce was a spontaneous ceasefire between soldiers fighting on the Western Front in 1914. They met in ‘no man’s land’, buried their dead, sang carols and exchanged gifts. Some even played football. For a few hours, war was forgotten.
In memory of this moment, the British Embassy in Moscow joined together with the charitable fund “Under the Flag of Kindness” to host a football match between young people from the Harmony Children’s Home and the British School of Football. Braving the cold, the children displayed determination, sportsmanship as well as some impressive football skills.
On opening the event, Ambassador Tim Barrow commented: “As we play football today amidst freezing, challenging conditions, let us remember our shared histories and find inspiration from that moment of peace 100 years ago.”
After the match, the children were invited to thaw out at the Ambassador’s Residence where they lunched on traditional fish and chips before learning about the Christmas Truce and working together to create a commemorative picture.