Saturday, November 26, 2011

A Goal for Peace; Real Madrid, UNRWA Unite For Palestine Refugee Children

MADRID, November 25, 2011 (WAFA) – A Partnership Agreement was signed by Real Madrid foundation and UNRWA on Thursday, which will lead to the establishment of eight Social Sport Schools in Gaza and the West Bank, according to a press release publish on UNRWA website.

It said that 10,000 Palestine refugee children will benefit from the eight schools to be established in West Bank and Gaza.

Real Madrid Foundation and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) have signed a Partnership Agreement to promote sports programmes in UNRWA schools that will contribute to improving the lives of Palestine refugee children in the Middle East.

“The education of new generations, who constitute the future, is the essential axis of Peacebuilding in the Middle East”, said UNRWA Commissioner-General, Filipo Grandi.

He added: “With about 700 schools across the Middle East, UNRWA emphasizes quality education; access for all refugee children to a sound education; the learning of the principles of tolerance and respect, gender equality and self-improvement. This joint project that UNRWA and Real Madrid foundation have undertaken is promotes all these things.”

Florentino Pérez, President of Real Madrid FC, said “The power of football and the grip of Real Madrid are a beautiful combination that should be present in the world of solidarity. It is an honor for Real Madrid Foundation being in Palestine.”

He also asserted that: “In Real Madrid, we are convinced that this work in Palestine is an open door to future and deep collaborations.”

Pérez thanked UNRWA for their “effort, compromise and work.”

Real Madrid Foundation and UNRWA will jointly implement 8 Social Sports Schools in Gaza and the West Bank which will benefit more than 10.000 Palestine refugee children.

This project will give Palestine refugee children the opportunity to practice sports and learn values such as teamwork and to increase their self-esteem. In addition, they will enjoy a fundamental right: the right to play.

This project is all the more important as refugee children are daily surrounded by armed conflict context.

The chance to participate in sport activities with some of the greatest football stars in the world, led by Real Madrid Foundation is an extraordinary and much valued opportunity for the refugee children of Gaza and the West Bank.

Almost a third of world refugees are Palestinian. UNRWA provides assistance to nearly 5 million Palestine refugees who are still waiting for a just and durable solution to their plight.

More than 71% of Palestine refugees are children and teenagers. Almost three and a half million of the five million refugees who live in Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan are under 18 years.

Furthermore, the lives of several thousands of refugee children are affected by the conflict, which deprives them of their most essential rights.

UNRWA Spanish Committee aim is to support UNRWA humanitarian programmes and, in Spain, raise public awareness of Palestine refugees’ situation.
Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA

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