Dubai: Honey Thaljieh, former captain of Palestine’s women’s football team, is willing to assist in setting up football squads for Gulf nations.
“Definitely, I would be more than happy to help other countries in building teams and empowering women because I know how sport has changed my life. Now, I want to be the reason and the cause for changing other women’s lives, especially here in this region,” Thaljieh told Gulf News at the pre-event press conference for Peace and Sport Dubai 2013.
“My situation and background can be of immense help in this part of the world. I am a woman. I am a footballer and I am an Arab from Palestine. In itself this is a strong message being delivered to the world through sports,” the Champion of Peace added.
Thaljieh’s life changed during the course of the second intifada in Palestine in 2002 when her cousin Johnny was killed while leaving the Church of the Nativity. Though still a teenager, Thaljieh felt the need to fight back against violence and she discovered she could do it through football.
“As a woman, as an Arab and as a citizen of Palestine I felt I could say something loud and clear to the world. Football gave me everything. It empowered me and gave me self-esteem. It gave me a voice to speak about peace, love and justice,” Thaljieh said.
While studying at the Bethlehem University, she formed the first-ever women’s team for Palestine and in 2005, the team received recognition from the Palestine Football Association.
“I am a personal witness to change through football. In this part of the world it is even more important to empower women. Because when you empower women you can reach out to the entire community. And when you combine this with awareness and education, women play an even more important role in society. I believe that a change will come about if there is equality in our working,” she added.
“By merely being here, I am sending a strong message that governments should support women and get them more involved in government and in the private sectors.”
