#Morethanfootball Action Day 3 Focuses on SDGs

#Morethanfootball Action Day 3 Focuses on SDGs

Today was the third #Morethanfootball Action Day focusing on Sport and its intersection with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Clubs and other participating organisations were encouraged to showcase and celebrate their programmes that deal with the vast array of topics covered under those international aspirations.

Barca Foundation, the charity arm of FC Barcelona, highlighted some of the ways they seek to help achieve the SDGs.

Shakhtar Social, the winners of the inaugural More Than Football Award, also took part in the celebrations. Players from their club, Shakhtar Donetsk, spent the day with children with various disabilities.

EFDN members implement projects ranging from education, health and wellbeing, gender equality to climate action and partnerships for the goals. Athletic Club Bilbao, an EFDN member, for instance runs a monthly competition based on the United Nations SDGs around the themes of sustainability, social welfare, gender equality and culture. Through the initiative, participants raise awareness of the small but important role we must all play individually, in preserving and improving the environment.

Annually and in collaboration with Lurgaia, the Foundation offsets the carbon emissions of Athletic Club’s men’s and women’s first teams and the men’s second team by planting trees and bushes in areas of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

EFDN AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

We are convinced that football is a powerful tool with the potential to tackle challenges entailed in each of the 17 SDGs. Together with its members and partners, EFDN aims at working towards new milestones in Community and Social Responsibility within football.

Sport, including football, has proven to be a cost-effective and flexible tool in promoting peace and development objectives. Our work shows us on a daily basis that football has the power to change lives.