Football for Unity kicked off in Greenwich this week. Eltham Green Specialist Sports College was visited by Sven Goran-Eriksson and Nancy Dell’Olio who helped launched the programme along with campaign organiser, Yamam Nabeel.
Over 100 school children took part in a mini tournament with 3 different age groups competing in a 5-a-side and 7-a-side matches.
What is Football for Unity?
The campaign is a UK-based, international, Muslim-initiated, grass-roots level development programme and awareness-raising initiative.
It aims to bring children from different ethnic, religious and social backgrounds together and promote peace, unity and tolerance within communities through the power of football.
This will be achieved through a network of linked Muslim faith and state schools.
The programme aims to:
- Create a network of linked Muslim and state schools competing in regional, national and international Football for Unity tournaments
- Establish similar Football for Unity school networks in Europe, the Middle East and the USA.
- Create annual regional, national and international Football for Unity tournaments.
- Create an annual Football for Unity school awareness week with an educational programme.
- Establish self-sufficient Football for Unity leagues in the UK, Europe, The Middle East and the USA.
- Create fundraising events to support charities working in conflict zones and to tackle child poverty.
- Build artificial turf football centres in the Middle East and in conflict zones.
- Launch a national and international children's photo competition, a fully interactive website and a Football for Unity magazine within the first year.
Football for Unity is part of Truce International's Football for Peace campaign.
Bringing communities together
Greenwich Council Leader Cllr Chris Roberts said: "Greenwich is proud to be the first place in the country to host this initiative.
"It is an example of how sport can be used to bring communities together, establish links and promote inclusion.
"Football for Unity underlines much of the work being done in Greenwich to promote good community relations and get ready for the 2012 Olympic games. I hope this is the start of a long-term partnership."
Achieving peace
Nancy Dell’Olio said: "Football for Unity epitomises the aims and objectives of Truce International. Children are the future and if we can bridge cultural differences and begin to spread peace at a young age through the power of football then Truce is achieving its aims.
"Let’s hope that today’s launch event can spread ripples throughout the UK and the world highlighting the fact that Peace can be achieved through the international language of football."
18 January 2006