UEFA foundation: Inclusion and opportunity at Europa League final
Thursday, May 23, 2024
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Twenty-five youngsters enjoyed starring roles in Dublin thanks to the UEFA Foundation for Children.
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While the players took centre stage in Dublin on Wednesday, 25 children from the local community also shared some of the limelight thanks to the ongoing commitment of the UEFA Foundation for Children, their local partners and official global Europa League partners.
Children from Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, two local associations long supported by the foundation, were invited to attend the game. Some of them even took their place on the pitch as mascots for the referees and players during the pre-match ceremony, courtesy of Hankook and Engelbert Strauss.
These roles are designed to illustrate the unwavering spirit and boundless potential in every child, echoing the foundation’s underlying belief that "every child is a champion."
Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) was founded in 1997 in response to the rise in racist attacks following a dramatic increase in the number of foreign nationals living in Ireland. SARI’s mission is to support cultural integration and social inclusion in Ireland by using sport, particularly football, as a medium to combat racism, sectarianism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination.
SARI organises regular football programmes, annual sporting events, school sports and educational programmes, and cultural activities to tackle discrimination and promote cultural integration and social inclusion.
The UEFA Foundation for Children has a longstanding partnership with SARI and has supported it with funding of €209,000 over three years to organise football education sessions, a football programme targeted at young Muslim girls and integration festivals.
Rio Ferdinand Foundation
Through its "Youth in Action" project, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation aims to build strong relationships through football across the divides of race, ethnicity, culture and the Northern Ireland/Ireland border. It trains young people from all communities to become leaders and encourages youth to work together to deliver social initiatives that promote learning and common objectives to tackle racism, division and inequality.
The UEFA foundation has supported the Rio Ferdinand Foundation with €185,000 over three years.