Northern Ireland v USA

The Irish FA Foundation is to play a major role in a new cross-European project aimed at strengthening social inclusion in divided communities. IRISH FA FOUNDATION TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN SPORT TOGETHER PROJECT

The 30-month project was launched via a two-day partner conference. It was originally scheduled to be hosted by the Irish FA and staged in Belfast, however it was instead held via Zoom due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Irish FA Chief Executive Patrick Nelson opened the event in which participants were able to engage, discuss and develop the project at its inception. Other events being planned include a training session in Belgrade this autumn followed by workshops in all seven partner countries (November 2021 until June 2022). And next year there will also be a girls’ football festival in Vienna and an inclusive grassroots event during the European Week of Sport, with further events planned for 2023. Initially the project will look at ongoing ethno-political divisions in the western Balkan states and on the island of Ireland and then the focus will switch to the continued challenges following the so-called EU refugee crisis. Words Nigel Tilson

The Sport Together project will have a focus on young people and girls and to increase participation of disadvantaged groups - in particular refugees and newly- arrived migrants and minorities - in grassroots sport. Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, with seven partner countries, it is aiming to tackle threats to social cohesion through training, education, awareness-raising, capacity-building of sport stakeholders and cross-community youth sport. Apart from the Irish FA Foundation, the project is being supported by the Football Association of Ireland, Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC) - fairplay initiative (Austria) and Serbia-based NGO Atina, a citizens’ association for combating human trafficking and all forms of gender-based violence. The other partners are Youth Initiative for Human Rights, based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Thessaly in Greece, Donegal Sports Partnership in the Republic of Ireland and Nogometni klub Zagreb 041 (Croatia).

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