Ultimate Frisbee Game introduced in Nagaland

Participants along with Peace Channel and action for northeast trust (the ant, BTC Chirang, Assam) after the training of trainers held at Don Bosco Ground, Dimapur on August 23 and 24.

Dimapur, August 25 (MExN): Peace channel in collaboration with action for northeast trust (the ant, BTC Chirang, Assam) conducted a 2-day training of trainers on leadership development in dialogue facilitation by introducing the Ultimate Frisbee game from August 23 – 24 at Don Bosco Ground, Dimapur.

The training was conducted by a team of Ultimate Frisbee coach comprising of Rwmwi Basumatary as the head coach along with Jayanti Barman and Robindro Murmur, stated a press release.

Altogether 36 participants including 18 young women drawn from Peace Channel partner schools, Peace Channel program staff members in 4 districts, and MSW students from NEISSR attended the training. Opening the 2-day ToT, Dr Deben Bachaspatimayum, NEISSR faculty invited all to a journey of peace building through an altogether different kind of game called the Ultimate Frisbee.

At the end of the training, Alino Chishi, Peace Channel program staff for Kohima district was declared as the “Spirit of the Game” based on her best conduct during the play.

Peace Channel has planned to take forward Frisbee game all over Nagaland, the release added.

Ultimate Frisbee gives an experience of joyfully winning together and discovering an inclusive society in the process by invoking the positive attitude and behavior of the opposing team members.

The head trainer, Basumatary introduced two set of rules associated with the game: the normal rules of the game that apply during the play and the spiritual rules of the game that apply at the end of the play determine the final result of the game.

The spiritual rules allow the opposing team to sit together in a circle for evaluation of the game based on five criteria such as: Rule Knowledge and use, Fouls and body contact, Fair mindedness, Positive attitude and self control and Communication.

Depending on the diversity of local population any team participating in the Ultimate Frisbee has to have all communities represented and equal number of male and female.

This according to the coach formation of mixed community team is to promote inclusive societies especially where people are affected by communal conflicts. 

Ultimate Frisbee game promotes dialogue over debate by appreciating one another and trying to identify the positive aspects of each and every team instead of the negative aspects of the team and individual.

Making mistakes or fouls during the play is an opportunity for opponent team to express solidarity and encourage players. Players are Empires themselves and any dispute/conflict situation during the play is resolved mutually within a stipulated time.

Participants also attended sessions on leadership development in dialogue facilitation which has direct relevance to Frisbee  game. 

Technical sessions were held on building dialogue facilitation skills facilitated by Dr Deben and Vitono Gugu Haralu, Program Coordinator, Peace Channel.

Participants gained clarity on the differences between Debate and Dialogue. Dialogue as listening and unfolding processes of discovering and understanding more of the others, rather than judging them, help build better relationships. Vitono facilitated session on understanding conflict and ways of responding to it.

She urged the participants to promote peace in their respective communities and to bring influence through their works.