We are very pleased to get these photographs of the new permanent location for the stone, from our partners in Chennai India, after its relocation to the YMCA College of Physical Education, Chennai.
Thanks to Dr. Paul Sander for supplying them, he has been our point of contact at the Karunalaya Social Service Society in Chennai, and who we worked so closely with originally.
Here is a link to a video of the ceremonial event, which features Shalini Medepalli, the British Deputy Head of Mission in Chennai, she represents the UK in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. She is a graduate of Cambridge University, and talks about walking across Parkers Piece during her time there.
Here is a link to the official press release for the day.
And here is a link to Paul reading those rules in Tamil that we recorded back in 2017 at a Streetchild United conference, where we met up with our worldwide partners.
The photographs show Shalini Medepalli with local dignitaries, a newspaper article about the stone, and Dr. Paul Sander’s wife Bayiyam with children from the Karunalaya NGO. The girls featured are all football players.
India – the cambridgerules stone will have a new location as it has had to be moved. It will be unveiled at its new location on the 24th August. We are all invited! Photographs to follow.
Despite this year being a challenge for obvious reasons, and the location of our Egyptian stone having to change, we are delighted to finally be able to confirm the arrival and safe installation of our last global stone. It sits overlooking a football pitch and athletics track at the Maadi Olympic Centre Cairo, Egypt. This location is where national teams and athletes come together to train. We have worked closely with Nancy Elamir and Mona Abdelgawad at The British Council in Egypt, Nadia El-Sebai at the British-Arab Centre and Dr Shaimaa Abo Abla, who with their support have helped locate the Cambridge Rules Stone.
This means that the sharing of the Cambridge Rules 1848 story is complete, with stones residing in Brazil, China, India, Kenya and now Egypt.
Written in stone – Interpreted Worldwide – Brought back to Cambridge.
As you can see from these images, its installation was completed on a day with weather more akin to Manchester. We will be receiving further images shortly and these will also be posted on the website.
Once again thank you to everyone involved in organising this stone’s installation, during such difficult times.
Today’s the day! 170 years after a group of university students pinned a set of rules for football to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece in Cambridge, this seismic moment will finally be celebrated with our sculpture, unveiled at the very place where most of the rules of the game we love today were first adhered to.
If you’re near Cambridge, please do join us to launch this important public artwork by Alan Ward and Neville Gabie. We’d love to see you.
Timetable of events:
12.00pm: Speeches and sculpture unveiling on Parker’s Piece
12.45pm: @CambridgeUtdWFC vs @CuafcWomen
14.00pm: @CambsFA Select XI vs @CUAFC Men
Carol Anne Wood, a native of Cambridge, who has been an active supporter and contributor to the website – see her homages to David Luiz and her beloved Chelsea – has written a special poem for us which has also been submitted to the site this morning. Click here to view it
If you can’t be with us, here is a link to the free commemorative newspaper as a download and a selection of images from the installation this week in the lovely Cambridge sunshine. Follow events on twitter from 12noon.
The Cambridge Rules 1848 sculpture will be unveiled at Parker’s Piece at noon on Saturday May 12th. There’s a whole host of exciting events going on throughout the afternoon, so take a look at the running times – but also make sure you pick up a commemorative newspaper!
12noon, Parkers Piece (on the corner of Parker’s Piece by Parkside and Mill Road)
Sculpture unveiled by Executive Councillor Anna Smith
Speeches, including a short word from Cambridge Rules 1848 Global Partners Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC (represented by Mr Taotao Song, Chief Executive Officer at Greenland UK)
12.45: Cambridge United Women’s Football Club vs University of Cambridge Women’s Football Team
14:00: Cambridgeshire FA Select XI vs Cambridge University Football Club.
Each day this week, we will be counting down to the launch of the Cambridge Rules 1848 sculpture on Saturday by highlighting the story behind the location of one of the stones. Cut into nine pieces, five travel around the world in cultural exchange and four remain on Parker’s Piece.
On Monday we went to Shanghai in China, yesterday we made the trip to North Chennai, in India, and today we’re underneath a motorway in Cairo…
One of the joys of football is that it can be played anywhere – from a patch of ground in the middle of a Cambridge park to an unused space under a motorway in Cairo. The Nafas project, which aims to use sport to empower children at risk in the Egyptian capital, set up their pitch in the Abageyah district to be a safe haven, and runs a number of leagues for boys and girls.
The beautiful street art on the concrete structures underneath the motorway confirm that this isn’t just a football pitch, however, it’s a home and focal point for an entire community brought together by the game – the perfect place for one of the Cambridge Rules stones.
Listen here to Karim Hosney founder of The Nafas Project reading the rules in Arabic.
Facebook : Empowering Children at Risk Through Sports
Instagram : nafas_eg
