Sixty-two years ago, the air in Queens was thick with the promise of tomorrow. As President Lyndon B. Johnson stepped to the podium at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York, he inaugurated the 1964 New York World’s Fair under the noble banner of “Peace Through Understanding.”
This week, Victor Mooney of U.S. based South African Arts International requested the privilege of administrative coordination from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington, D.C. to ensure that their formal correspondence reaches the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
South African Arts International is spearheading an initiative called Goal2Goal ahead of the 2026 World Cup Final. The mission is to support two soccer fields with maintenance needs and coordinate “Score a Goal for Peace” at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
As FIFA looks toward the 2034 World Cup, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has adopted the powerful slogan, “Growing. Together.” It is a sentiment that transcends borders and speaks to our shared evolution. The bond between these visions is not merely theoretical.
In 2018, Victor Mooney orchestrated a poignant moment in the skies above Riyadh. Aboard a Saudi Airlines flight, he held an inflight ceremony to unveil the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award, destined for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Recognizing the King’s commitment to the “Spirit of Humanity,” the award served as a bridge between cultures—a bridge that was later formally hand-delivered to the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington, D.C.
“Whether it is through the legacy of Nelson Mandela or Saudi Arabia’s “Growing. Together.” initiative, the goal is the same. We are moving toward a world where peace is not just a theme for a fair, but a standard for our lives. The soccer ball will hit the back of the net, and the world will be reminded once more: we are partners in this game, playing for the same team, moving toward the same goal. Let’s score a goal for peace”, said Mooney.