Greetings for the Festive Season

Published: 23 Dec 2008 - 16:32 by raystrach

Updated: 23 Dec 2008 - 16:32

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A year has passed and the festive and holiday season is upon us again. Whilst this website is popular across many continents and cultures, I think all can relate to a message popular in the Christian culture of "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men".

This theme was explored in a film i saw recently called Joyeux Noël. It was the largely true story of one of many incidents that occurred during the 1st world war on the western front at Christmas. French, German and Scottish soldiers got together and declared a tempory ceasefire.

Whilst not all soldiers were happy with the situation, it showed that most ordinary people do not want war and that disputes should be solved by other means.

However, the generals and other powers that be were not happy with the actions of the soldiers and their commanders and they were all punished.

Most fair minded people want a life where they are not threatened on a daily basis by war and violence. Ironically, that is the very reason why some leaders go to war in the first place.

Squash is one of the few sports that cross the cultural divide, especially these days when leaders in the Christian and Mulim cultures seem so far apart. I may have suggested before that we would all be far better off if they attempted to settle their differences by slugging it out on a Squash court rather than with guns and violence in real life.

I will admit to being from the live and let live view of the world. we all have different viewpoints on what should be done and how, but if we could manage to allow each other to carry on our lives in peace the world would be a far better place.

In the 70's we had ping pong diplomacy, maybe now Barack Obama, Gordon Brown and Kevin Rudd, Hozny Mubarak and the Shieks from the Gulf States could institute a new era of Squash diplomacy. Hold a series of participatory squash tournaments across the Western and Arab worlds during 2009 to celebrate peace and harmony and attempt to break down the barriers and resolve the differences.

Maybe we need to lobby the WSF to take the suggestion to these leaders. It would not only contribute positively to the peace we all want, but it would have the added bonus, from a Squash afficianado's perspective, of promoting the game of Squash.

IN the interim, we at squashgame.info wish all readers the very best wishes for the coming festive season, however you may celebrate it and hope that you and those around you stay safe and happy in the year ahead.