BOSTON, Aug. 16, 2013—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s annual Soccer for Peace tournament will observe the 50th anniversary of one of American history’s most important orations – the “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the 1963 March on Washington.
Across the US, individuals and organizations will be commemorating King’s words and their legacy five decades after they were spoken at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963. The week-long remembrance runs from Aug. 21 through Aug. 28; this year’s Soccer for Peace event will be held on Aug. 22.
“Dr. King’s call for freedom, equality, nonviolence, and justice marked a turning point not just in the struggle for civil rights but in the history of our nation,” Conley said. “Those goals are as important today as they were 50 years ago. Remembering his dream at this year’s tournament is our way of honoring the man, his message, and his memory.”
Each summer since 2003, Conley has welcomed Suffolk County residents to Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester, where kids, teens, and adults break off into teams and play one another in the world’s most popular sport. Conley’s office hosts the event as a way to foster harmony, community, and leadership skills for young people while building relationships with Suffolk prosecutors and victim advocates and hosting a fun, end-of-summer activity.
Special guests at this year’s tournament include forward Juan Agudelo and defender Bilal Duckett of the New England Revolution soccer team, who will address the crowd, sign autographs, and pose for photos with young players. Members of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department will present a K-9 unit demonstration, staff from Boston’s Museum of Science will host interactive activities, and JAM’N 94.5 will provide music and entertainment. As they have in years past, Citizens Bank will also provide each young player with a backpack full of school supplies.
For more information on the 50th anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech, visit http://officialmlkdream50.com/.
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