Ramadan Football Competition

This story was sent along by Mohammed Alzaeem, our most active contributor to our Yemen Stories blog.  You can follow him on Twitter at @mohammedalzaee1.

Children playing football in the street - Taiz, Yemen

The children in my neighborhood turn the street into a playground to play football. Two teams of children are throwing the ball. On the sidewalk stands the referee with his whistle in his hand. 

One of the attendees tells me that this match is being held within the Ramadan Football Competition, which is organized by a group of young people in the city. The teams of Taiz's neighborhoods compete for the title. Because they do not have a playground, they have made some streets in various neighborhoods playgrounds.

It is the insistence on life in the face of death in a war-torn country. All they dream about is to live their lives in dignity, peace and harmony. The picture is an example of the triumph of life over death, love over hatred and peace over war.

I absolutely love this submission. The spirit of the people of Yemen is extraordinary, especially in the face of so much hardship.  Islam is a faith that requires devotion to Allah and dedication to the tenets of the religion, but it also expects you to participate in the world.  You see this in Ramadan as well.  Yemeni Muslims are fasting and praying, but they're also active in work and play.