DOHA: Young football teams from around the world representing the world’s most vulnerable children will gather in Qatar next month for a sports tournament that calls for change. This is the 4th Street Child World Cup in partnership with the Qatar Foundation. .
The Sport for Good event combines 25 countries, 28 team football tournaments, an arts festival and a children’s conference to advocate for resilient young people facing significant adversity on the streets. It becomes a platform for children to demand a more equal and just existence.
15 men’s and 13 women’s teams, 10 of which are refugees or displaced represented by children.
“The Street Child World Cup was founded to give street children a voice to tell the world who I am,” said Britain’s vice president of harnessing the power of sport. said John Rowe, co-founder and CEO of the charity Street Child United. , especially an international sporting event to change the negative perception and treatment of street-connected children, which hosts the Street Child World Cup.
“The United Nations estimates that more than 100 million children worldwide live on the streets. These are children without formal identification. No legal rights; no access to education. and no access to medical care, the Street Child World Cup aims to change that.
“By bringing the world’s attention to Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we can demonstrate the power of football for social good. Let’s work together to make the necessary changes to stop children everywhere living and sleeping on the streets.”
The football component of the event will be streamed in a format similar to the FIFA World Cup, with an official draw on October 8th, where teams will be awarded kits for the tournament. Following the training sessions, the Group Stage will begin on October 11th and the finals will take place on October 15th. The competition will be held at his Oxygen Park in Education City and will be open to the public to support the team.
Brazilian youth team player Samuel de Souza said:
“I am looking forward to learning about new cultures and languages.I am very excited to play football in Qatar.It is a dream come true.I am proud to represent the street children of Brazil, especially those from Fortaleza. increase.”
Countries represented in the tournament are Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, Egypt, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Palestine, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Sudan, Syria Forum, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, Zimbabwe.
Alongside football, participants also participated in an arts programme, where Qatari artist Mariam Faraj Al Suwaidi worked with children on the theme of identity, creating layered self-portraits through collage works and painting workshops. The work created will be exhibited alongside works by other artists participating in the Street Child World Cup delegation in an exhibition organized by the Katara Cultural Village on October 14th.
“The Streetchild World Cup is a true cultural exchange,” said Beatriz Garcia, Arts Manager at Streetchild United. “Through dance, painting, spoken word and more, art can help children develop their understanding of themselves as individuals and reinforce that they are all who they are.
“The Street Child World Cup comes with a lot of color and magic. Seeing it all come to life through the medium of art is incredibly special.”
Both football and art support the General Assembly, the centerpiece of the Street Child World Cup. Held before the finals on 15 October, the event will allow young people to make their voices heard to the world, share their experiences and journeys to raise awareness and raise awareness about their situation. A platform for educating people. It will also be an opportunity to speak out to world leaders and present their demands for equal opportunities that they are deprived of due to their living conditions.
Requests made at the General Assembly are shaped by discussions from the child-friendly Congress sessions held throughout the week. The findings, along with the views of Street Child United’s young leaders, will be compiled into a formal document, the Qatar Commitment, a joint pledge to improve the lives of children living on the streets. Leaders of Street Child World Cup partner organizations will be invited to sign a pledge with Street Child World Cup representatives, which will then be shared digitally for people around the world to support.
The Qatar Commitment is one of many legacy initiatives focused on education and healthcare that began with the Street Child World Cup and will continue to make a positive difference around the world in the months following the tournament. is intended for
