A women's football match in Lima provided the setting for a new public preparedness campaign on October 26. UNESCO Peru launched Comunidades PRO during the game, connecting sport with information about possible El Nino emergencies. The initiative brings together education, science, communication and culture. Its aim is to help communities recognise risks, consult dependable sources and organise before disruptive weather arrives. The match offered a way to reach people beyond a formal meeting room.
The campaign also stresses checking information before passing it to others. During emergencies, rumours can spread quickly and influence decisions when accurate guidance is most important. Reaching a large audience is therefore only the beginning; the messages must also be trustworthy and useful. Football cannot remove weather hazards, but it can open a conversation about preparation. The approach treats familiar community activities as an opportunity to connect people with practical information, rather than assuming that an announcement alone creates readiness.