News
Katowice Internationals World Cup 2020/21 – A Ball Can Change The World
More than 200 internationals living in Poland got together to celebrate friendship and sport. The event was organized as a mini-football tournament to promote intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding through sports, raise awareness of diversity and support social integration. The chosen motto this time was "A ball can change the world".
Event description and goals:
This is the 3rd edition (2018, 2019 and 2020/21) of a unique 6-man mini-football tournament that aims to foster intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding through SPORT, raising awareness about diversity and promote social inclusion. The chosen motto this time was "A Ball Can Change The World''.
The project included more than 20 different nationalities of players living in Poland and sharing similar values, feelings, and passion for football.
Many foreigners came alone and struggled to find support, connections, and shared common passions. The event is a way to promote multicultural integration and diversity, increasing awareness of the local community about the co-existence with citizens from different countries, and some of them coming from very complicate situations.
Implementation:
The tournament took place on 2nd / 3rd October 2021 at the prestigious location of Silesian Park, just outside the National Stadion Śląski, sport stadium and often theater of the Polish National team’s games. The participants were waiting for the event since the pandemics broke out in March 2020 and everyone was excited to finally be able to attend, of course meeting all safety conditions required by current regulations. The 20 National Teams who made it for the event are composed by majority of internationals living in Silesia area and some teams coming from close city of Krakow, overall, many nationalities from every corner of the globe.
Europe (6): Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine,
Africa (6): Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia,
Asia (4): Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen
America (4): Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico
More about the games: 5 groups, each of one composed by 5 teams who played on Saturday for the 1st phase and then, the first 4 teams in the group qualified to the next round (1/16 finals) to play final phase on Sunday 3rd October. Among the semi-finalists, this edition saw again strong teams like Brazil (2019 Champion), Portugal and Egypt but also a great surprise like Yemen!
The final between Egypt and Portugal was won by Egypt (2-0) while Brazil managed to get at least bronze medals. A lot of fun and all were winners at the end!
More details on Katowice Internationals Foundation social medias channels and YouTube page:
youtu.be/OxCbz78q1R0
www.facebook.com/media/set/;
Marco Cillepi , project coordinator.
31.01.2022
