For the first time in Paraguay, the 1st National Football and Social Change Summit was organised by streetfootballworld network member Centro para el Desarrollo de la Inteligencia (CDI) as part of their Partidí project, “Everyone Plays, Everyone Wins" and the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (APF) through their Chuleí Programme, “From the Pitch to the School.”

Successful collaboration with the Football Association
This well-attended event concluded the 2009 activities of two organisations that share the belief that football is a valuable space for community development and social transformation. Their cooperation is an excellent example of how community organisations with Development through Football programmes and football associations can implement activities together.

More than 400 children participate in a day of football, culture and friendship
405 boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18 arrived in the early morning hours at Club Rubio Ñu's stadium in the Trinidad neighbourhood to share an intense day of football, culture and friendship. Delegations from Club Sport Colonial, Escuela Fe y Alegria, and Club Sport Colonial del Bañado Sur de Asunción were represented at the encounter.  Additionally, boys and girls from Escuela Paí Pukú del Chaco Paraguayo, Fundación Dequeni, the community centres of Caacupé, Ypane, and the young people of PROELA were present.  Boys and girls from Hogar Unidos por Cristo de J. A. Saldívar and the Espacio Comunitario de Aprendizaje (Community Learning Space) of the CDI also participated in the games.

The APF's Chuleí Programme, which enjoys the support of the Inter-American Development Bank, has sought for the past two years to reduce drop-out rates in high-risk schools through football. The Programme introduced delegations sponsored by first division clubs: Sportivo Luqueño, Cerro Porteño, Trinidense, Olimpia, and 12 de octubre.

After the ice-breakers in the morning, the children played football using the PARTIDÍ method, then shared lunch and a cultural exchange.  In the afternoon, the sport matches continued, ending shortly after 5 pm with a moving closing ceremony attended by Mr. Rubén Martín Ruiz Díaz, President of Club Rubio Ñu; Vladimir Radovic, IDB representative; Ramon Zubizarreta, Esq., President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee; and representatives from the Christian Children's Fund of Canada and Visión Banco.

PARTIDÍ - values through sport
The PARTIDÍ game is organised into three parts, which include an agreement among the players about the rules of the game, the game itself, and evaluation and scoring.  The method does not place importance on arguments or winners; everyone plays and everyone wins because the method emphasises enjoyment of the game, inclusion of and respect for women, and human rights including respect, solidarity, and loyalty during the match.

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Translated by Ashley Caja