ON TOUR
'Never Again,' says the monument inscribed in English, French, Yiddish, German and Russian, just outside the main exhibition hall at the Dachau Concentration Camp.
If football is the true global language, then this World Cup should be the harbinger of world peace. This is what the organisers pray for, and hope for. Whether it will materialise, is another question.
On the outskirts of Munich lies the town of Dachau. It is a picturesque market town, but its name will forever be synonymous with extermination of human beings. On the eve of the World Cup, I decided to make a trip to this concentration camp, where between 1933 and 1945, an estimated 43,000 people died during the Nazi reign of terror.
Also on the eve of this World Cup, in a joint message welcoming the opening of the tournament, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Fifa president Sepp Blatter made an appeal for peace, tolerance and development.
'Football is a global language,' said Annan and Blatter. 'It can bridge social, cultural and religious divides. It enhances personal development and growth, teaches us teamwork and fair play, builds self-esteem and opens doors to new opportunities. This, in turn, can contribute to the well-being of whole communities and countries.'
They added: 'Over the next few weeks, as billions of people worldwide focus on the Fifa World Cup, we appeal to players and fans everywhere to support us in our mission. Let us harness the magic of football in our quest for development and peace.'