Football Federation Australia launch initiative aimed at aiding global refugee crisis

Football Federation Australia has launched its Football Cares scheme ©FFA

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has launched its Football Cares initiative, which is designed to help with the refugee crisis in Europe as well as the integration of 12,000 Syrian refugees into communities in the country.

The programme was announced at Parliament House in capital city Canberra and follows Italian Serie ‘A’ club AS Roma pledging €575,000 (£411,000/$620,000) to their Football Cares campaign in September, which has since been joined by Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Bologna, Torino, Empoli and Hellas Verona.

The Australian scheme will ask members of the public to donate to both their international campaign and domestic programme.

The international initiative will help fund the ongoing efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who are providing medicine, shelter, clothing, food assistance and safe drinking water to those in need.

Football United, the domestic branch of the programme, aims to establish “drop-in” playing and training opportunities at schools across the country to help address the challenges faced by newly-arrived refugees.

It is hoped that, by getting involved with the scheme, the refugees will be able to meet new people and forge links with the local community.

“Football is the only sport that is universally loved and understood by people everywhere,” FFA chief executive David Gallop said.

“When a Syrian or any other refugee first arrives in Australia, football may well be the only familiar thing to them.

“The appeal of this game to all cultures is unique and for this reason football also has a vital role to play in the community at this time.

The launch of the FFA Football Cares initiative comes after AS Roma set up their own scheme in September ©Getty Images

“We are proud to partner with Australia for UNHCR to provide critical support for refugees arriving in Europe in huge numbers at this time, and equally proud to partner with Football United who do amazing work to help refugees settle into their new lives in Australia through the power of football.

“Now we ask our football community to show that football cares by donating.”

The ongoing refugee crisis has seen refugees from the Middle East and Africa attempt to reach Europe in search of safety, with the UNHCR office estimating more than 300,000 refugees and migrants have tried to reach Europe so far this year.

Around 2,600 migrants and refugees are believed to have died in making dangerous sea crossings across the Mediterranean after fleeing their homes, mainly as a result of war.

“In the five years since the start of the Syrian conflict, more than 4 million Syrians have become refugees, the vast majority being women and children fleeing conflict and violence with little more than the clothes on their back,” Naomi Steer, national director for Australia for UNHCR, said.

“Through supporting this appeal, Australians can take positive, lifesaving action and support refugees who have arrived in Europe, as well as those seeking refuge in countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.”