EFDN Celebrates the world day of social justice

EFDN Celebrates the world day of social justice

The World Day of Social Justice is an annual day started by the UN that falls on the 20th of February. It remind us the need to spread social justice, which includes issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections.

This day aims to help us recognise that, despite all the progress we have made as human beings, there are still many barriers that prevent millions of people from living a fair life.

The UN states that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Every year the United Nation select a theme for the events organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). On this year, 2024, the chosen theme is “Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances”, to focus on the plight of social injustice throughout the world and to press for improvements and solutions.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

EFDN Projects linked to the world day of social justice

EFDN carries out numerous initiatives, campaigns and programmes that falls in the theme of social justice.

WELCOME THROUGH FOOTBALL

Welcome Through Football is an EFDN initiative. Current projects across Europe receive funding from the Eramus+ programme of the European Union and the UEFA Foundation for Children.

The Welcome Through Football 2021 project aims to assist in the integration and inclusion of recently arrived young refugees, asylum seekers and young people with a migrant background. EFDN and partners will develop and test a European methodology that uses football as a tool to reach refugees and migrants from different ages (7-25 years old) to get them physically and social active in European communities.

Moreover, the project assists football coaches and youth workers in the development and sharing of effective methods in reaching out to the marginalised target group, in preventing racism and intolerance.

Meet one of the participants

15-year-old Aram from Uzbekistan is training with FC Emmen. He is always looking forward to the Monday and Friday afternoon training sessions. “I love to be active and play football together. We learn from the trainers of FC Emmen how to play together and help each other make goals. I used to play football in Uzbekistan. The training I get here from FC Emmen coaches is much more fun because I get good tips, for example how best to walk free or how best to accept a ball.”

Diversity Wins

The primary focus of Diversity Wins is to address the issue of violence, racism, discrimination, and intolerance in sports. Additionally, it aims to promote inclusion and diversity in all areas of education, training, youth, and sports while emphasizing the importance of education through sports. The main target audience for the programme is children and young people between the ages of 10 and 16. The programme will employ an educational approach to raise awareness about racial, LGBTQ+, religious, and gender-based discrimination. It will consist of various activities such as workshops, courses, interactive sessions, and expert presentations. These sessions will be conducted in schools as well as grassroots and academy football clubs.

Alongside educating children and young people, efforts will also be made to train teachers, sports coaches, and organisational staff. They will be provided with informative and impactful sessions to deliver to children, and they will learn how to engage in discussions about complex topics, use appropriate language and terminology, reflect on their behaviours, and respond to discriminatory abuse if reported. This will be facilitated through an online training course that covers essential topics and offers information, insight, and advice. European professional football holds immense influence over the general public and, therefore, carries a distinct responsibility to promote a safe and inclusive society.

Diversity Wins will leverage the prominent status of European football and professional football players to spread the project’s message and contribute to the establishment of a united European stance against discrimination in both sports and society.

Funding partner of the mentioned projects

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.