Inter Campus and UEFA Foundation for Children, start of EurHope project

The first of four events scheduled as part of Sport EurHope – Promoting Inclusion through Football within the Old Continent, a project funded by the UEFA Foundation for Children and delivered by Inter Campus, concluded yesterday in Budapest. The two-year initiative focuses on inclusion in its many dimensions and actively involves local coaches from Inter Campus programmes in Hungary, Romania, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the boys and girls who take part in the activities.

The meeting in Budapest marked the first step of a journey that will continue in the coming months across the other partner countries. Throughout the event, participants explored a wide range of topics and established ambitious objectives: developing effective tools to combat gender discrimination, promoting more inclusive communities and strengthening the inclusion of minorities through sport. Significant attention was also devoted to building a methodology based on life skills and resilience, with the aim of providing coaches and young participants with the tools needed to make informed decisions, develop critical thinking, strengthen leadership, encourage creativity and improve analytical and problem-solving skills.

The event proved particularly meaningful as it coincided with the days in which Budapest hosted the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. For the occasion, the UEFA Foundation for Children involved the boys and girls from the Cseppkő orphanage in Budapest, where Inter Campus has been active for more than fifteen years, in a series of unforgettable experiences: from meeting the players on the eve of the match to attending the official pre-match training sessions and receiving signed shirts. The most emotional moment, however, was watching the biggest match of the season live from the stands of the Puskás Aréna.

It was a significant recognition of the work carried out by Inter Campus, which the UEFA Foundation chose to support not only through the EurHope project but also by offering the young participants extraordinary opportunities and experiences. It was further confirmation of the educational and social value that the Nerazzurri project continues to generate in often complex and vulnerable environments.

The next event is scheduled for October in Sarajevo, where Inter Campus Bosnia and Herzegovina will welcome delegations from the other partner countries. It will be another opportunity for training, discussion and knowledge-sharing, with the aim of continuing to create concrete opportunities for inclusion and growth for boys and girls through football.