A cooperation between the Fare member organisations FairPlay and Balkan Alpe Adria Project (BAAP) brought together, for the 12^th consecutive year, youngsters from across Europe to an intercultural exchange and football tournament, held between 07-09 June, in Vienna, Austria.

Under the slogan ‘Vienna meets Balkan’, the initiative looks to make a common stand against nationalism and racism in sport in a multicultural environment.

As in the previous two years, the Viennese clubs FAC-Team für Wien and SC Suessenbrunn hosted the event that was constituted of under-11 and under-12 year-old teams from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Hungary and Germany.

“The international FairPlay youth tournament ‘Vienna meets Balkan’ is more than just a regular tournament. It is an event that brings together youngsters from the Western Balkan region, Croatia and Austria focusing not only on the sporting aspects but also on an international dialogue, exchange and respect.” said SK Rapid Vienna coach Zoran Barisic.

“Every sporting get-together – especially big tournament as this one – contribute to overcome prejudices, racism, discrimination and nationalism.” he added.

Besides the football tournament, other initiatives, including workshops and an evening social gathering, were also organised during the three-day event as part of Austrian wide project ‘Nosso Jogo – Initiative for a global Fair Play’.

One of the intercultural workshops was organised by the EU project BEAMS ‘Stop watching – start seeing’, that addresses the issues around prejudice and stereotype in sport.