Football; bringing people together
Refugees and asylum seekers are amongst the most reviled groups in Britain.
Demonised by sections of the media, isolated by government policy and subjected to verbal and physical attacks on the streets, they face the brunt of the worst kinds of popular racism and are even despised by some sections of other settled ethnic minority communities.
To help address some of these issues, Kick It Out organises 'The Unity Cup Festival' to engage and work with refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced communities across Britain by using the power of football to overcome exclusion, build confidence and address overt racism at refugee communities.
Football
The Unity Cup Festival is based around a national 7-a-side football tournament played over two days. The teams play against each other for the Unity Cup and Unity Shield. As the tournament is not geared towards identifying the best footballing talent the main prize is the Marc Vivien Foe Fair Play Award.
The award, named after the former West Ham and Manchester City midfielder who tragecially died on the football field in 2003, is given to the team who have played the tournament in the best spirits.
Participants
Teams of refugees and those seeking asylum from all corners of the UK are invited to participate in the festival. To help promote integration and understanding Kick It Out has also invited a number of mainstream football teams to participate.
The annual event is aimed predominantly at young adults (the over 16 age group) who currently do not participate in most of the football development work undertaken by football clubs and local authorities.
Guests and VIP's
A number of guests and VIP's attend the different elements of the event to show their support and to pass on advise about how they became successful in their own fields.
Guests attending previous Unity Cup Festival events include, Manchester United defender Wes Brown, Coronation Street actresses, Shobna Gulati and Hayley Hesmondalgh, and former footballers including Ces Podd and Tony Whelan of Bradford and Manchester United respectively.
Friendship
Over the weekend some amazing flashes of skill, moments of brilliance and and gestures of great sportsmanship are witnessed, but most importantly, those attending make new friends and acquaintances whilst making their stand against racism and calling for equality.
Unity in 2006
This year, the Unity Cup Festival took place in Sheffield between the 14 - 16 July. 20 teams of refugees and those seeking asylum from across the UK came together for a weekend of football and friendship.
To contact a member of the Kick It Out team about the Unity Cup Festival please click here.
