28.07.2017

Tournament to welcome refugees in Hungary

Over 100 people are expected to attend and take part on the second edition of the Free Kick to All football tournament, an event aimed at welcoming refugees and promoting their social inclusion in Hungary.

Six teams will be contesting the five-a-side competition, each of them representing minority groups and highlighting different issues on the fight for equality and inclusion. These include: migrants association Menedék – Migránsokat Segítő Egyesület, Hungary's first and only lesbian rights group Labrisz Egyesület, refugees and migrants NGO MigSzol – Migráns Szolidaritás Csoport, youth group BAGázs Public Benefit Association, homeless charity AVM and Artemisszió Foundation, an organisation which encourages the dialogue between groups of different backgrounds and ethnicities.

The first Free Kick to All was organised in June 2016 to mark the World Refugee Day (20 June) and show the contribute and importance of each person to society.

"Our message remains the same" said Marcell Lőrincz of the Fare member Foundation Subjective Values. "We all belong to different groups but in common we share our individual and collective value and the contribute we can all give to society. We believe in equality, in a diverse, inclusive and tolerant Hungary and this is why we will play together at this tournament" he added.

Hungary has been criticised for the handling of the refugee crisis and for having recently refused to take any more refugees. Far-right parties have gained momentum in mainstream European politics and in Hungary, inclusively, over the past years and amid an influx of refugees.

One of the novelties of this year's edition will be a quiz and presentations made by each team, which will allow the participants and attendees to know each other better and understand the challenges to inclusion that each group faces.

The football competition is being organised by the Fare member Foundation Subjective Values and MigSzol and will take place on Saturday 29 July in Budapest near Beothy utca.

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