São Paulo – Registrations for teams to participate in the Refugee Cup are open until May 31. The event aims to socially integrate migrants and refugees through the sport. Each team represents its players’ country and the championship will have state phases and eventually a national phase to occur in Rio de Janeiro in September. Only Rio Grande do Sul’s phase has already closed registrations.
The event is organized by the NGO África do Coração and supported by the Office of UN for Refugees (UNHCR). Rio de Janeiro’s Municipal Social Assistance and Human Rights Office (SMASDH, acronym in Portuguese) also supports the project. Secretary João Mendes de Jesus was at the 2019 Cup launching event (photo above), whose theme will be “Take a minute to hear someone who was forced to leave their country.”
State games happens in the cities of Porto Alegre starting at June 20, Brasília in June 22, Recife in July 13, Curitiba in July 20, Rio de Janeiro in August 17, and São Paulo in August 24.
“Soccer is a universal language and a Brazilian passion. So we have this project that is creating more and more visibility. We want to integrate and have Brazilians cheer for the refugees. Not only helping financially but also cheering, extending a helping hand to those from abroad. It is something more welcoming for those coming to Brazil,” explained África do Coração president Jean Katumba.
In addition to the championship, the project holds workshops for the refugees’ integration including lectures, a refugee concert, a refugee cultural evening, workshops for refugee children, and a fashion show. Each Cup edition has a theme to encourage reflections about prejudice and breaking cultural walls over social inclusion of refugees in Brazil.
Quick Facts
Refugee Cup
Registrations here until May 31
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
