EFDN Highlights: April 2021

EFDN Highlights: April 2021

As 2021 comes to an end, EFDN invites you to look back on this year’s top activities, projects, and news stories. Take a look at some highlights from April.

International Day for Sport for Development and Peace

The 6th of April marked also our #Morethanfootball Action Day on Social Cohesion. The ongoing pandemic demonstrated that solidarity and social cohesion are very important to overcome massive challenges and support especially vulnerable groups. We wanted to highlight just a few of recent initiatives that promote social cohesion and serve as examples of how football organisations stepped up during these tough times.

15TH EFDN CONFERENCE

EFDN is looking back on an exciting and inspiring 15th EFDN Conference. CSR-experts from more than 150 clubs, leagues and FAs from across Europe joined our presentations, roundtables on the topics Social Inclusion, Employability, Health, Education and Environmental Sustainability, and discussions.

#MORETHANFOOTBALL FUNDRAISER

EFDN has developed a professional fundraiser in partnership with MatchWornShirt to raise money for the excellent community initiatives of clubs, leagues and FAs. Match worn shirts from Dinamo Zagreb, AEK Athens, Getafe CF, PAOK, Real Betis and Panathinaikos are currently up for sale.

Shirts from EFDN members PFC Ludogorets, Heart of Midlothian, Everton FC, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, OH Leuven and NEC Nijmegen have been sold already. Almost €80,000 have been raised overall.

#MORETHANFOOTBALL NEWS

Istanbul Başakşehir launched a challenge as part of #Morethanfootball Environmental Sustainability Day. Fans were challenged to plant seeds in order to promote Environmental Sustainability. 

Six clubs from the Bundesliga and the second division (VfL Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen, VfB Stuttgart, FC St. Pauli, SC Paderborn 07 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen) took part in the ‘sustain Club’ sustainability certification and as part of that process Bayer 04 were awarded the ‘sustain Club silver’ certification. With the achievement of this certification, the sextet of clubs assumed a pioneering role in professional sport.

NEW MEMBERS

In April, EFDN welcomed new members Derby County Community Trust and the  Football Association of Ireland, and all 23 League of Ireland clubs.