Scoring Goals Together: Building Friendships and Futures Through Sports
Scoring Goals Together: Building Friendships and Futures Through Sports
Metin, an energetic 11-year-old boy living in Manisa, Türkiye, moved with his family from Iran to Türkiye in 2011 to escape persecution and start a new life. He expresses his joy about settling in Türkiye, where he has made new friends, developed himself, and taken steps towards achieving his dreams.
For the past four months, Metin has been participating in football training sessions as part of the “Promoting Peace and Protection Through Sports for Youth Under Temporary and International Protection and Youth from Host Communities in Türkiye” project, supported by the Barça Foundation[1] and implemented by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Türkiye. This project, conducted in Manisa, offers four-month training programs in basketball, football, volleyball, and handball for youth aged eight and sixteen. Metin joined the football training after learning about it through the announcements in his school. “I’ve always loved playing football, but here, I’ve learned better techniques,” he says.
At the end of the four-month training period, Metin and his teammates participated in the “Friendship Tournaments.” Held on October 23 in Manisa, the tournaments brought together more than 500 youth, both refugees and from Turkish host communities, who had completed the first training cohort. Throughout the day-long event, participants played matches against various teams and enjoyed activities at different game stations with their friends. At the end of the day, all participants were awarded gold medals as a token of global friendship and peace.
Metin’s joy is evident as he recalls the tournament day. He says he hadn’t realized how many youngsters came together through this project: “When we arrived at the tournament, we were so excited. Playing football all day was amazing. Everyone played really well, but the best part was coming together.”
For Şuayip, football has also become more than just a game—it has become a tool for personal development and social integration. Şuayip moved to Türkiye with his family from Afghanistan and learned about the project through relatives. He talks about his new friends: “Before, I had friends from my own country, but here in the trainings I’ve also made Turkish friends. When I joined this team, everyone treated me so kindly and wanted to be friends right away.”
He says that he loves developing his skills and spending the day at the training: “Every time I come here, I learn something new from my coach, and it makes me so happy. On my way home, I always think about what a great day I had.”
The project, expected to conclude with the second Friendship Tournament in January 2025, aims to reach a total of 1,000 young people. It seeks to strengthen social cohesion between youth under temporary and international protection and those from host communities. Through sports training, the project also aims to empower young people to participate meaningfully and positively in social life, motivating them to engage in peacebuilding and decision-making processes through sports.
[1] The Barça Foundation is the charitable arm of FC Barcelona, established in 1994. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for vulnerable children and youth through education, health, and sport. The foundation focuses on promoting social inclusion, equity, and the prevention of violence.
Key areas of their work include:
- Education and Protection: Programs aimed at ensuring children have access to education and are protected from harm.
- Community Action: Initiatives that support local communities and foster social cohesion.
- Health and Emotional Wellbeing: Projects that promote physical and mental health among young people.
For more information: https://foundation.fcbarcelona.com/en/