As World Cup 2010 approaches, let me direct your attention to Breakaway, a game sponsored by the United Nations with the goal to end violence against women by reaching out to young men around the world. Through exciting football (soccer) gameplay and intriguing character and story, the game reveals issues of gender discrimination and violence, and offer alternatives. The hope is to end violent and discriminatory acts against women and girls before they even start.
I had the great privilege of working on this project with the incredible team of students at the Emergent Media Center at Champlain College. They have launched the first episode of this ground-breaking online game right in time to ride the wave of World Cup fever. Breakaway is free to play – so pass it along to all the young people you know!
The student and faculty team at the EMC have done an amazing job at balancing the needs of institutional sponsors and partners, the interests of the young players, and the complexity of the issue itself. I can’t wait to see what happens next!