The World Cup is Africa's chance to show how it has changed

 With less than 50 days to go before the first match kicks off, billions of football fans are looking forward immensely to the tournament. So am I - and not just because Ghana, my own country, has such a strong side.

I am also looking forward to it, because this competition may do more to bring our planet together than any treaty or convention could ever hope for. At a time when war, violence and ethnic and religious tensions continue to obscure our common humanity, the World Cup has the real potential to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes.