More EFDN Members use football for peace
After our previous article highlighting the actions of the Association of Swedish Elite Football, which started a fundraiser for the benefit of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and SL Benfica, whose players took to the pitch wearing Ukrainian colours, Yaremchuk was given the captain’s armband supported by the club and all fans, we wanted to highlight more of the impressive actions EFDN members have undertaken to show the world that they stand for peace.
Schalke 04
With the motto “Together in solidarity and for peace”, the EFDN member held a special match day with a special motto: FC Schalke 04’s first home match with its new partner VIVAWEST is all about peace. In addition to the special jersey motif “GEmeinsam für Frieden” (Together for Peace), the partners or rather their foundations also announce a charitable cooperation. The jerseys that head coach Dimitrios Grammozis and his team will wear for the match against Hansa Rostock will be auctioned off afterwards. The club will announce at a later date which platform will be used for the auction and when the bids will be accepted.
The proceeds of the auctions will go to the club’s own foundation Schalke hilft! which, together with the Vivawest Foundation, will actively support the work of the Gelsenkirchen Task Force Ukraine. In the middle of the week, the S04 already declared that it would be in contact with the city of Gelsenkirchen and that it wanted to help welcome the refugees arriving. Now the club has gained a strong partner for this task in the Vivawest Foundation.
“For more than ten years, the Vivawest Foundation has been committed to helping people live together in our neighbourhoods. Integration plays a very important role for living together. We are very happy to support Schalke hilft! so that the refugees from Ukraine quickly become neighbours and friends”
Uwe Goemann, Managing Director of the Vivawest Foundation
On the occasion of the imminent arrival of many refugees from Ukraine, the new partnership with VIVAWEST offers the club the great opportunity to combine the strengths of two charitable institutions.
Sebastian Buntkirchen, Managing Director of Schalke hilft! and Director of Fans and Club Affairs, is pleased about the special cooperation between the two foundations:
“On the occasion of the imminent arrival of many refugees from Ukraine, the new partnership with VIVAWEST offers us the great opportunity to combine the strengths of two charitable institutions. The fact that Schalke hilft! and the Vivawest Foundation are working together for this campaign is a great sign with a big impact. Together we want to help as many people as possible to arrive here in our city. This cooperation at this particularly challenging time means a lot to me.”
S04 will also continue to support courageous Schalkers who are currently trying to help the people in Ukraine with its outreach. To share and spread appeals for donations, relief efforts and humanitarian actions, the club is making its social media channels available. It will also be possible to use this opportunity to network between people who want to help and those who are already active on the ground.
Liverpool FC
Liverpool’s players signed and donated match-worn shirts from the Emirates FA Cup fifth-round tie against Norwich City in support of the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal. The emergency fund has been set up to support people affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Each shirt was be signed by the players after tonight’s game and auctioned off by LFC Foundation to raise money to help the Ukrainian people access vital supplies of food, water, first aid, medicines, warm clothes and shelter. In a further symbol of solidarity with Ukraine, at the match the Main Stand at Anfield was lit up blue and yellow, the colour of the Ukrainian national flag.
Werder Bremen
Helping together and standing up together for the people in Ukraine: SV Werder Bremen is deeply concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Together with its long-standing CSR partner, the SOS Children’s Villages Worpswede and Bremen, the Green-Whites are calling for donations to help in the war-torn region. The campaign is under the motto #StandWithUkraine and took place this weekend around Werder’s home match against SG Dynamo Dresden in the second Bundesliga.
Other teams such as the Werder women, the women’s handball team, the Bundesliga chess team as well as employees of SV Werder Bremen and the SOS Children’s Villages in Worpswede and Bremen showed their solidarity with Ukraine in the form of photos and with the hashtag #StandWithUkraine via social media. In addition, there was a “loud” minute of remembrance at the home match against Dynamo Dresden on Sunday, 06.03.2022, 13.30, where they stood up together and were loud for the people of Ukraine and against the war.
Legia Foundation
Due to the situation in Ukraine and the expected influx of refugees seeking refuge in Poland, the Legia Foundation is collecting the most needed items to support the operation of the points for the needy set up by the City of Warsaw. Legia Warszawa players Mattias Johansson and Joel Abu Hanna have joined the campaign to help refugees from Ukraine. The footballers of the capital’s team donated essential foodstuffs and hygiene products!
“I played in Ukraine for two years. I met many wonderful people, so my heart breaks when I see that these people have to fight for their lives. They have to leave their country in a hurry, or just fight for it. This is all some kind of madness.”
Joel Abu Hanna
“Sweden has always been neutral, but you cannot be indifferent. In a situation like this you have to at least help the people who need it”
Mattias Johansson
Premier League
The Premier League and its clubs showed support for the people of Ukraine at all matches this weekend. The organisation is calling for peace and their thoughts are with all those who have been impacted. A show of solidarity for Ukraine was be visible at all Premier League matches from Saturday 5 to Monday 7 March. This follows the numerous ways in which clubs have already demonstrated their support. The 20 club captains wore special armbands in Ukrainian colours and fans were encouraged to join players, managers, match officials and club staff in a moment of reflection and solidarity before kick-off at each game. Big screens at stadiums displayed “Football Stands Together” against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag. These words were also shown on LED perimeter boards during matches.
This message of solidarity was also be visible to fans around the world across Premier League digital channels. Logos and profiles on those platforms changed to represent the colours of the Ukrainian flag, which was also displayed across match broadcasts both in the UK and overseas.
