Spirit of Football e.V.
Spirit of Football e.V.
| Founder | Andrew Aris |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Location |
|
| Field | Educational work, integration, non-discrimination, social inclusion |
| Website | http://spirit-of-football.de/ |
Spirit of Football e.V. is a non-profit organisation focused on the promotion of tolerance and social inclusion through the medium of football. The organization is based in Erfurt, Germany. It was founded in 2005 by Andrew Aris, a former professional football player from New Zealand. The organization's motto is "One Ball, One World." More than 60000 people in more than 50 countries have been reached through their educational projects and the journey The Ball.[1]
Philosophy
Spirit of Football works towards the aim of fostering tolerance, non-discrimination, social inclusion and international understanding within and across countries. According to the motto "One Ball, One World," football is used as a medium that brings people together and that is used as a common language that needs no words and is understood all around the world. The rules of football that the organization uses in their projects is different from conventional football. Their type of football is called Fair-Play Football. The aim of the game is not to win but to include all players and to encourage each other.
Structure
Andrew Aris is the founder and president of Spirit of Football e.V. The organization has 30 members and cooperates every year with around 50 students of the University of Erfurt. [2] Famous patrons of the organization are Erfurt's mayor Andreas Bausewein and the professional football player Clemens Fritz.
Projects
School Projects
Since 2011 Spirit of Football e.V. has offerd workshops at more than 80 schools in Erfurt and the region.[3] The participating children learn about different countries and cultures, in order to become more sensitive and tolerant. The workshop leaders are usually of different origins. Different questions and issues are approached, for example where stereotypes come from and how to break with them. Art, theater and sport are used to make the topics more child friendly. The workshops always include Fair-Play Football to promote values like fair play and respect not just during the game but also in their daily lives.
Refugee Projects
Since 2015, Spirit of Football e.V. and students from the University of Erfurt organize projects to facilitate the integration of refugees. They reached out to refugee accomodations and invited the residents. Ever since, regular meetings and cultural events are organized that bring refugess in contact with locals. Every week, football matches and events take place. Examples for events are game nights, barbecues, small concerts, movie nights etc. Furthermore, language practice is offered and support is provided when it comes to bureaucratic difficulties. Some of the participating refugees have become members of the organization, they organize events themselves and participate in school workshops.
The Ball
Since 2002, every four years, the Spirit of Football team travels to the country where the world cup takes place. The journey always start in the Battersea Park in London, where in 1864 the first official football match according to modern rules was played.[4] This journey is called The Ball and it takes usually around six months. In all the countries that they cross, they organize educational projects that bring together people from different backgrounds. They cooperate with local organizations. Football is used as a common language that needs no words and is understood all around the world. The symbol of the journey is a ball that they carry as their olympic torch. It is signed by everyone who kicks it.[5] In 2018, the journey's motto was empathy and focused on displaced people. It went through England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, Jordan, Northern Iraq, Armenia, Georgia and Russia.[6]
Awards
2015: Thuringian Integration Price
2017: Intergration Price of the German Football Association
2018: Eurpean citizens' price
References
This article "Spirit of Football e.V." is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Spirit of Football e.V.. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- ↑ "Spirit of Football e.V." Spirit of Football e.V. (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- ↑ "Unternehmen "Weltsprache": Andrew Aris hat mit "Spirit of Football" seine Leidenschaft zum Beruf gemacht - WortMelder". WortMelder (in Deutsch). 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ↑ "Über uns". Spirit of Football e.V. (in Deutsch). 2013-10-06. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ↑ Ltd, Art Division. "Guide to Battersea SW11, SW8 | Area Guides | Eden Harper". www.edenharper.com. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ↑ "Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft: "Der Glaube an die Menschheit hat sich bis jetzt immer ausgezahlt"". ZEIT ONLINE (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- ↑ "The Journey". Spirit of Football. 2011-12-17. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
