Inclusion at the Weser Stadium for Werder Bremen – Darmstadt

Inclusion at the Weser Stadium for Werder Bremen – Darmstadt

The match SV Werder Bremen – Darmstadt, which took place in the Weser Stadium on the 5^th of March, did not only focus on sportive success but also followed the purpose of raising awareness for social inclusion.

SV Werder Bremen’s foundation “Werder Bewegt”, the Bundesliga foundation, Aktion Mensch and Molkerei Ammerland emphasised during the match the importance of inclusion, tolerance and anti-discrimination of people with a disability.

Among others, it was part of the “Together for Inclusion” activity that children, with and without a disability, accompanied the football players entering the pitch. Next to that, a 17-year old boy was assisting the stadium announcer, and as usual, a reporter for blind people was present. Additionally, people with disabilities were working in the catering service and in the VIP area and helped with the green-keeping. Overall, more than 50 people were integrated in the working environment of the Weser-Stadium on the 5^th of March.

Also, an information desk had been placed in front of the stadium and all partners of the “Together for Inclusion” event invited to a press conference, where they addressed the subject of inclusion of people with a disability in more detail.

Professional football is more inclusive than ever

It is already the second time that the football club is cooperating with the Bundesliga foundation and the Aktion Mensch in the field of inclusion, during a Bundesliga match. Armin v. Buttlar, executive board of Aktion Mensch, the largest German private funding organisation, sees sport as an important tool for inclusion, the enthusiasms for sport units people.

Stefan Kiefer, chairman of the Bundesliga foundation, states that professional football is more inclusive than ever. Bundesliga and 2^nd League stadia are reserving more than 3.600 places for people with a disability and there is the continuous effort to make the stadium visit as barrier-free as possible. For that reason, the online-guide accessibility of stadia, has been developed. The Bundesliga foundation and Aktion Mensch have also started the project “Stadium Learning Centre”, which shall contribute to more inclusion. It is a special learning centre that teaches reporters the needed skills to report for blind and visually impaired people.

Also the third cooperation partner, Molkerei Ammerland, sees it as being of high relevance to initiative projects in which people with and without a disability take part. Ralf Hinrichs, director of Molkerei Ammerland, emphasises that every person has special skills, which are important on the labour market, with and without disability.