Rugby, a Union Symbol in the Falklands

Our trips to the Falkland Islands have certainly been the most emblematic events in the beginnings of the Foundation. They not only gave birth to this dream called Rugby Sin Fronteras, but also were the trigger to send a peace, love and union message to the world, showing that the sport is beyond any political, economic or social situation. There was a war in the islands, and we can’t change that. We can prevent our children from inheriting our mistakes. That is why, on March 13, 2011, we returned to the islands once again and we played a new match, with the purpose of creating a union and peace action through rugby between both peoples.
The situation was not very favorable for the Rugby Sin Fronteras delegation due to the political context in the islands, but we would find the meaning of the trip in the children, who once again were the turning point: “Before we were born, there was a war and they (meaning Rugby Sin Fronteras) came because they don’t want any more wars” , said one of the young islanders.
“We talked to the governor and he said he thought what we wanted to do was very good, but that the islanders didn’t support it and that he could not support us, but he sent his son to play with us”, Juan Bautista Segonds explained.
In addition, another member of the delegation, Mario Kohan, said: “In the islands we were actual brothers without borders with a common denominator: rugby as a union and peace message. And the importance of persevering in the goal of building a better world, convinced that those are the values that we should follow”.
“The Falkland children, with their smiles and spontaneity, told us: “We had never imagined the Argentineans as we see you, we never believed that a rugby team would cross the Atlantic and would want to play with us. Thank you for it! We will never forget you!”. Javier Ortiz, delegation member.
“The purpose was always the rugby ball, and through it, to be able to attain our goal: playing the sport we love, no matter the result or the rival, playing to have fun, knowing that this effort may help build that bridge with the Falkland Islands, where we have laid the first brick”. Máximo Palma, delegation member.

Andrés H. Galliano
Sworn Translator. Interpreter
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