United Nations International Day of Sport for Development and Peace - Pulaski School and Soccer Waza

WATCH THE APRIL 6 EVENT

Watch the full April 6, 2026 Pulaski School event (27:35)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2026
Detroit, Michigan

DETROIT HOSTS UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE ACTIVATION

300 Students. Sport. Cheer. Music. Culture. One City. One World.

Pulaski Elementary-Middle School | Detroit, Michigan | April 6, 2026
United Nations International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
Theme: "Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers"

DETROIT, Michigan — April 6, 2026 — On the United Nations International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, the City of Detroit made its mark on the global stage. Detroit Waza Flo and Pulaski Elementary-Middle School brought together nearly 300 students, educators, government officials, artists, and athletes for a historic live activation proving that sport, culture, and community can change lives.

The Street to School™ assembly — a grassroots-to-global initiative developed by Detroit Waza Flo — unfolded across 15 program segments in Pulaski School's gymnasium, weaving together soccer demonstrations, freestyle performance, live drumming, breakdance, the Pulaski Cheer Team, student-led music, and the unified voices of city, school, and United Nations representatives.

WHAT HAPPENED

The assembly opened with remarks from Mrs. Tamekia Cole, Dean of Culture, and Principal Tyra Smith-Bell, who set the tone for a morning centered on discipline, unity, and the limitless potential of Detroit's young people. Belinda Evans-Ebio, President of the UNA-USA Greater Detroit Chapter, connected the room to the global significance of the day — reminding students that their neighborhood is part of a worldwide movement.

From the moment the program began, the Pulaski Cheer Team brought electric energy to the gymnasium — performing throughout the event, executing flips and high-energy routines between segments, and keeping the atmosphere locked in from start to finish. Their presence was a constant thread of school pride woven through every moment.

Mario and Dominic Scicluna — Detroit natives and leaders of Detroit Waza Flo — took the floor for the signature Street to School™ narrative: a firsthand account of rising from Detroit streets through professional arena soccer, international 3v3 competition, and World Cup experiences.

The performance showcase followed: Dominic, Mario, Valentino Scicluna, Omar Lahbiki, Davide DiPoce, and Nelvis Ndah demonstrated the Waza system — dribbling, moves and turns, passing and receiving, shooting and ball control, and freestyle skills — with live music driven by DJ Brad Hale of Peoples Records. Drum masters Sundance and Solair DiDominico of Drums & the Run provided live cultural rhythm throughout, while Jonathan "Preach" Whitlow of Children of Soul brought breakdance culture to the gymnasium floor.

As the program moved toward its close, Pulaski's own Student Musicians took the stage — a fully student-led performance that brought the school's musical talent to the forefront and set the stage for the Grand Finale. Principal Smith-Bell issued final remarks. The entire school then rose together for the Grand Finale — students, staff, Waza Flo, cheer team, musicians, and all crew standing and moving as one.

QUOTES

"What your Mind Conceives and your Heart Believes, You Will Achieve."
— Mario & Dominic Scicluna, Detroit Waza Flo

"Thanks to Waza Flo for the awesome performance at Pulaski School's celebration for United Nations Day for Sport Development and Peace. Our students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the excitement and the interaction with Waza Flo on this day."
— Dell Carr, Pulaski Elementary-Middle School / Detroit Public Schools Community District

"This is more than sport — it is a pathway. We are showing young people that where you start does not limit where you can go. Today, Pulaski School became part of a global movement."
— Mario Scicluna, Detroit Waza Flo

"The United Nations established April 6th as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace because sport is a universal language. What Detroit Waza Flo demonstrated today at Pulaski School is exactly that language in action."
— Belinda Evans-Ebio, President, UNA-USA Greater Detroit Chapter

BY THE NUMBERS

• ~300 Students Reached
• 15 Program Segments
• 2 Pulaski Student Performer Groups (Cheer Team + Student Musicians)
• 11+ Partner Organizations
• 5 UN Sustainable Development Goals Aligned (SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10, 16)

PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS

School / Education:
Pulaski Elementary-Middle School (including Cheer Team & Student Musicians)
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD)

Government & Global:
City of Detroit — Mayor's Office (Representative of Mayor Mary Sheffield)
State of Michigan
UNA-USA Greater Detroit Chapter
United Nations — UNOSDP (Office on Sport for Development and Peace)
U.S. Department of State
Sister Cities International

Detroit Waza Flo Performance Team:
Mario Scicluna, Dominic Scicluna, Valentino Scicluna
Omar Lahbiki, Davide DiPoce, Nelvis Ndah
Shannon Slebodnik — Program Coordinator

Culture & Arts:
Sundance DiDominico & Solair DiDominico — Drums & the Run
Jonathan "Preach" Whitlow — Children of Soul (Breakdance)
Tanya McLeod — Children of Soul (Breakdance)
Carolyn Crawford — Northern Soul (Closing Artist)

Media & Production:
Rob Newman & William Alexander — Four Horsemen (Live Stream / Post-Production)
Brad Hale — Peoples Records (DJ)

Soccer Ecosystem:
FIFA World Cup | Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) | International Street Football Association (ISFA 3v3) | U.S. Soccer | Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA)

UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ALIGNMENT

This activation directly supports:
• SDG 3 — Good Health & Well-Being
• SDG 4 — Quality Education
• SDG 5 — Gender Equality
• SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16 — Peace, Justice & Strong Communities

Detroit Waza Flo's Street to School™ program uses sport, music, and culture as tools to promote health, education, inclusion, and peaceful community development — in direct alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

WHAT'S NEXT — THE EXPANSION

The Pulaski activation was Phase 1. Detroit Waza Flo is now positioned to execute the full Street to School™ citywide expansion:
• Phase 2 — School expansion across DPSCD and charter schools (2026)
• Phase 3 — Citywide inter-school 3v3 league, cultural festivals, and seasonal tournaments (2026–27)
• Phase 4 — National replication model in major U.S. cities
• Phase 5 — Global network via Sister Cities exchanges, international tournaments, and Olympic 3v3 pathway

Schools, districts, sponsors, and government partners interested in bringing Street to School™ to their community are invited to connect directly with Detroit Waza Flo.

ABOUT DETROIT WAZA FLO

Detroit Waza Flo is a professional arena and futsal organization dedicated to developing players from grassroots to global levels while using sport as a tool for education, culture, and community impact. Founded and led by the Scicluna family — with roots in Detroit's soccer community spanning from the 1990s to the present — Waza Flo operates across MASL arena soccer, ISFA 3v3 street football, youth development, school partnerships, and international cultural exchange.

The Street to School™ initiative is their flagship community program, designed to replicate in cities across the United States and the world.

"From Detroit to the world, we move together, grow together, and rise together."
— Street to School™ | Detroit Waza Flo | April 6, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT

Organization: Detroit Waza Flo
Contact: Mario Scicluna
Phone: 1-313-477-7006
Email: mario@wazafc.com
Website: www.detroitwaza.com | www.wazafc.com
Social:
https://www.facebook.com/detroitwaza/
https://www.facebook.com/Wazafc/
https://www.instagram.com/wazafloclub/