Excitement is mounting for a group of FURD staff and young people who are heading for the Euros next week. They have been invited to take part in the anti-racism and anti-hooliganism programme of activities taking place during the Euro 2012 Championships in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com🏢smarttags" />Poland and Ukraine.
A multi-racial team of 15 staff and young people (aged 17-25) from FURD will be running Streetkick friendly football games for fans in host cities in both countries. The aims are to promote FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) and UEFA’s anti-racism message, distribute FARE’s information leaflets to promote some of the work they carry out in Europe, and encourage fans from different countries to engage and play with each other in a friendly, positive and fun way.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o />FURD Team Ukraine will be in Kiev from 8th-20th June with Streetkick events on 11th, 15th and 19th June while Team Poland will be in Warsaw from 8-11th June, Kracow from 13th-16th June and in Poznan from 18th until their return home on June 20th.
Six of the young volunteers selected to take part are members of the Urban Mixtures group. This is a young people's steering group which was formed to ensure the needs of local young people are met in the design and use of the U-Mix Centre. Read more about Urban Mixtures at the link below.
FURD staff have already been to Ukraine on a fact-finding visit to establish relationships with partners from the East European Development Institute in the country, who will also provide staff and volunteers to work alongside FURD. The visit included an unexpected live television interview for FURD Joint Co-ordinator Mehrun Ahmed. The interview, which lasts about 10 minutes, can be seen by following the link below, but it's being simultaneously translated into Ukrainian and is about 45minutes through the programme!
Keep up with FURD's Euro adventures by following us on Twitter at @furdday. Team members will also be using cameras and diaries to record their experiences.
For more about FARE and UEFA's anti-racism campaign at the Euros, visit the FARE website below.