Action Week 2013 begins today: three days organized by the European Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe) Network against racism in Rome. Across the continent, until October 29^th, football will be synonymous with integration, acceptance and friendship, involving football fans and clubs together with ethnic minorities and communities to fight together against discrimination and racism.

 

This is the first time such a vast programme of events has been organized in Rome for this objective thanks to the Esquilino Football Club and a other associations (Uisp Roma, All Reds Rugby, Scup, La Corsa di Miguel, Liberi Nantes, Polisportiva G. Castello, Piazza Vittorio Cricket Club, GS Esquilino basket, Ecuador Amazonico, Associazione Genitori Di Donato, Polisportiva Socrates).

 

“The idea is to involve all the subjects that address these issues in the city and propose sports and cultural events. This will allow us to place sports back at the center of the debate and open a European discussion on the problem of racism in football,” explains Giovanni Castagno, manager of the Esquilino Football Club School and organizer of the event.

 

The Fondazione Mondo Digitale fully shares the values and objectives of this initiative. Every year, the FMD celebrates World Refugee Day with a soccer game between Immigration Centers and Roman schools to emphasise the importance of integration and solidarity in sports. In the past years, a three-way meet between football schools precedes the main match. The Esquilino Football Club has always been present at these meets.

 

Programme highlights:

 

The programme begins on Friday at 6 pm at the UISP office (Viale Giotto 18) with the presentation of “Le mete dell'allenatore” (The Coach’s Objectives) by Flavia Sferragatta.

On Saturday, events will begin at 9:30 am with a bike ride from the Di Donato School to the Polveriera football pitch on the Colle Oppio where football, rugby, cricket, basketball, capoeira and chess games will be held.

 

At noon, there will be a debate on the book by Chuch Korr and Marvin Klose “More than Just a Game: Football Vs. Apartheid” with its translator Valentina Iaccoponi, Raffaella Chiodo from UISP International, journalist Matteo Patrono and Mauro Valeri, sociologist and sports racism expert together with Rome Councilors Marco Palumbo and Giulia Tempesta.

 

The programme will end on Sunday at noon in the Sala Intermundia of the Di Donato School (via Nino Bixio 84) with a debate entitled “Tommy Smith, John Carlos... and Peter Forman” with journalist Valerio Piccioni, UISP Anti-Racism World Championship Manager Carlo Balestri and National Olympic Committee Regional President Riccardo Viola, together with Rome Councilors Marco Palumbo and Giulia Tempesta.

 

Download the poster for Action Week.

 

Watch the video for World Refugee Day 2013 "I Am There".