Since 2015, Europe has been facing an unprecedented migratory crisis with nearly 2.6 million refugees and 471 thousand asylum seekers. These are complex life paths in which obtaining the European Union’s protection status is not the only obstacle. These newcomers must rebuild their lives in European countries, discover a new environment and build new social ties. Due to language barriers or difficulties in entering the job market, these refugees and asylum seekers are often exposed to discrimination in Europe.
To defend the rights of refugees and to ensure that all people have the right to safety, the United Nations Refugee Agency has created World Refugee Day, which is celebrated on 20 June. A day that aims to honour refugees around the world and show the courage of those who have been forced to flee persecution and violence in their countries.
As an integral part of cultural and social life, sport can be used as a tool for social inclusion. Sport is widely regarded as a universal language, which makes it an ideal means of promoting social integration and inclusion. This is why refugees are more present in sport than in other social spheres.
Within the FIRE+ project, pilot interventions play a key role. For example, the various football clubs selected for the project have already set up tournaments to promote the connection between the local population and the refugee population in order to promote the spirit of sharing. In addition to these tournaments, convivial moments of exchange are proposed in order to encourage the inclusion of the participants. Another aspect of the pilot interventions is to promote access to sport for women through mixed football matches and cultural visits.
These different operations and workshops are the examples that will be followed within the FIRE+ project and we would therefore like to thank the clubs that implemented these pilot interventions.
On Monday 20 June, the consortium members of the FIRE+ project are very pleased to announce the winners of the pilot intervention of the project are :
- TSV Seedorf-Sterley
- Younited Belgium
- Twilight Community Group CLG
- vv PCP
- JUNA Foot asbl
- FC Ente Bagdad/Vitesse Mayence
- New Ross Celtic
- Champions Ohne Grenzen