Team Italy (in the blue jerseys) plays against Santa Monica AYSO during the International Youth Soccer Tournament at John Adams Middle School on Thursday, July 29, 2009. Santa Monica AYSO won the match 4 to 1.
The International Youth Soccer Tournament, sponsored by the Santa Monica Sister City Association, will be held July 29-31 at Santa Monica College's Corsair Field and the playing fields at John Adams Middle School. The tournament brings together teams from Los Angeles, Santa Monica and its Sister City in Italy and provides opportunities for youth to exchange friendship through soccer games.
Under the leadership of SMC President Dr. Chui Tsang, who is chairing the Tournament Organizing Committee, and SMSCA President Joseph E. Deering, the tournament features teams from Santa Monica High School, L.A.'s Korean, Japanese and Salvadoran communities, and a team from Cassino/S'Entelia, Italy. The games are free and open to the public.
Other tournament sponsors are the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Santa Monica Rotary Club, Santa Monica Kiwanis Club, Santa Monica Sister City Foundation, Santa Monica Daily Press and many individuals.
The motto of the Santa Monica Sister City Association is "Peace in the World - One Person at a Time." To fulfill former President Dwight D. Eisenhower's dream of "citizen diplomats" establishing peace with "people-to-people" contacts between countries, the Santa Monica Sister City Association aims to educate, foster and encourage youth from all over the world.