The much-anticipated Life’s Worth Living football match hosted by the Victory Youth Group (VYG) took place at 3pm yesterday, drawing a crowd of over 1,000 enthusiastic youths. The event began with a prayer led by Bishop James Marques, who is responsible for the work of the Universal Church in the UK.
The football match featured young men from various regions, emphasising the event’s main theme: Ending Postcode Wars. It was a joyful occasion, as many young people gathered for a day of excitement and purpose. The main goal was to promote the message that life is worth living, fostering unity and harmony among youths regardless of their postcodes. The event aimed to promote peace across London, encouraging young people to build better relationships and a brighter future instead of succumbing to a life of crime.
South East London started the match strong, scoring the first goal to the wild cheers of the crowd, which included chanting, dancing, and live music with drums and trumpets. At half-time, a vibrant song and dance performance further enlivened the atmosphere.
Real-life stories were shared by two young men from different postcodes, which demonstrated their journey from conflict to unity, attributing their positive change to joining VYG. Now, they work together towards the common goal of helping other youths achieve the same.
Pastor Rees Effa, who oversees the Victory Youth Group (VYG), closed the event with a prayer, reinforcing the message of unity and peace. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)
Nickson Benza, a South East London team player said: “The football match was amazing, not only the match but also the preparation leading to it. Despite the competition, we could see that the youths who came to support the cause were united no matter their region, which made this event that much more amazing.”
Gloria, a half-time performer shared: “My experience dancing at the event was lovely! The crowd was really lively, and they enjoyed the performance. It was nice to just put a smile on their faces. I enjoyed working with everyone involved, and the turnout of all our hard work was worth it.”
Congratulations to the North West London team for their victory! They made a remarkable comeback, winning the match with a final score of 5-3. However, the true victory belonged to the cause itself. The event successfully fostered unity, peace, and a shared sense of purpose among the youths, proving once again that initiatives like these can transform lives and communities.
The Life is Worth Living (LWL) initiative is a movement organised by the Victory Youth Group (VYG) aimed at raising awareness on the ongoing issue of gun and knife crime amongst youths. It also works at creative opportunities, activities and so much more for young people with a simple message – Life Is Worth Living! Many of those who are part of the LWL initiative of the VYG have been directly or indirectly affected by gun and knife violence and use their past experiences to share a positive message to all.
