Maasai Cricket Warriors at Palmer Park Event
Masaai Cricket Warriors
MAASAI Cricket Warriors are set to give a warm welcome to Reading’s local community, at an event being held in Palmer Park in September.
The free, family friendly event runs from 1 to 6pm at Palmer Park on Sunday 2nd September. The 13 warriors, from the Laikipia region of Kenya in East Africa, are the special guests at the cultural celebration, which is part of the famous Maasai Cricket Warriors UK tour, organised by the Mojatu Foundation. People can come and take part in a game of cricket with the warriors, watch them perform a traditional dance and a fashion show of traditional Maasai costumes. Refreshments will be available to purchase or people can bring a picnic. Masaai Cricket Warriors The event, which aims to raise awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriages, has been organised by the Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE) and the Utulivu Women’s Group, with support from Reading Council, Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and the Mojatu Foundation. The Maasai Cricket Warriors are fierce advocates of gender equality. They have swapped their spears for cricket bats, using sport to share messages against social injustice, FGM , early forced marriage and wildlife conservation in Kenya and globally. This is their first visit to the UK. For more details please contact: 07859063643 or 01189 510 279, email: info@utulivu.co.uk or info@acre-reading.org
Victor Koroma, Manager at ACRE said:
“We are all really looking forward to meeting the Maasai Cricket Warriors and learning more about their rich, colourful culture. This is a great afternoon of free family entertainment with an important message at its heart and I’d encourage the local community to come along and support the event.”James Mugo, ACRE’s Chair, said:
“We are especially grateful the warriors are advocating the end of FGM and forced marriages. As community group, we work tireless to eradicate these harmful practices, not just here in Reading, but from the mother countries too, for the wellbeing of all our communities.”Ends
Notes
Photo Opportunity:
The media are welcome to attend the event for a photo with the Maasai Cricket Warriors and representatives from ACRE and Utulivu Women’s Group at 1pm in Palmer Park.About the Maasai Cricket Warriors
Formed in 2017, the Maasai Cricket Warriors group aims to discourage FGM practice and early forced marriages in Kenya and spread the word by playing cricket in Kenyan villages. They are now hoping to help spread the word in the UK, with their first visit to Nottingham in August - the first city to declare zero FGM tolerance in UK. Visit www.maasaicricketwarriors.org Facebook @Maasai.Cricket.WarriorsAbout the Mojatu Foundation
Mojatu Foundation is a female-led charitable organisation, headquartered in Nottingham with projects in the UK, Kenya, Somaliland, Burkina Faso and The Gambia. The foundation is a leading organisation in the global campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM). www.mojatufoundation.orgAbout Utulivu Women’s Group
‘Utulivu’ is a Swahili word meaning PATIENCE. We work with women, children and the senior citizens with the support of men with the view of integrating into the wider community while celebrating diversity as well as promote healthy living and strong family relationship for our wellbeing. Launched in July 2004 as a women’s group, Utulivu women’s Group is currently a registered charity aiming at engaging women, children and senior citizens from the minority ethnic communities throughout Berkshire and beyond. http://utulivu.co.ukAbout ACRE
We are a team of dedicated individuals who are passionate about seeing equality, diversity and equal opportunity for everyone in our town’s communities. We celebrate the vibrancy of Reading’s diversity, multi-ethnicity, multiculturalism, and at the same time we challenge some of the more deep-rooted cultural traditions, practices that are unacceptable in our modern society. www.acre-reading.org