Germany captain Michael Ballack
The activities of the Unite Against Racism campaign in Austria and Switzerland take centre stage this week.
The team captains of the UEFA Euro 2008 semi-finalists will deliver a message against racism and for diversity directly from the pitch.
Michael Ballack, Iker Casillas, Sergei Semak and Emre Belozoglu will speak to fans in Basel and Vienna through the stadium loudspeaker systems as their teams line-up before the national anthems.
The initiative is part of a series of messages that will involve a huge fan choreography around the stadium, pitch side boards that have made such an impact throughout the tournament, and the wearing of captains armbands that have become an intrinsic part of this year's campaign.
Spain's captain Casillas has already pledged his support to the Unite Against Racism campaign, stating:
"I hope that we use this summer's festival of football to say NO to racism and YES to harmony and respect."
Kick It Out's director Piara Powar said:
“The ‘Unite Against Racism’ campaign has captured fans imagination’s through a highly visible presence inside and outside stadiums.
“The semi-final captains will reinforce just how important it is to tackle discrimination in all its forms.
"This year's activities have marked a watershed in the way this social message has been communicated.”
Full details in English, German, French and Italian are available on FAREnet.org
