Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup
The Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup
48 nations One goal24-30 September 2006
The Grand Parade, Cape Town
Be witness to 500 homeless players take a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever.
48 nations are on their way to Cape Town for the 4th Homeless World Cup, with one goal in mind: To kick off global poverty and change their lives forever. This world-class sporting event will blaze the trail for the 2010 World Cup from 24-30 September 2006 uniting homeless people from as far and wide as Afghanistan, Argentina, China, Brazil, England, Ukraine, US and Australia.
A street soccer stadium is planned for The Grand Parade, the historical site of the release of Nelson Mandela. The opening of the Homeless World Cup has been incorporated into the National Heritage Day celebrations on 24 September on the Grand Parade. The participating teams will do a flag parade in front of President Thabo Mbeki following the President’s Military Salute with 20,000 spectators.
Mel Young, Co-founder and President, The Homeless World Cup said: “Cape Town promises to be the best Homeless World Cup yet, with double the number of countries represented than at previous tournaments benefiting over 10,000 players throughout the world. It continues to demonstrate that sport has tremendous power to change lives, to change the world, and what better place to make this strong statement to the world than in front of the steps where Nelson Mandela spoke for freedom. Get into the Homeless World Cup. Support the players. It’s an experience of a lifetime.”
Following huge success in Austria 2003, Sweden 2004, Edinburgh 2005 the Homeless World Cup is becoming recognised as an annual event on the global sporting calendar. The Big Issue South Africa is the host of the Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup and organisations are invited to get involved as partners or sponsors.
Supported by Nike and UEFA since it’s inception several world-class football teams support homeless World Cup teams. England is supported and coached by Manchester United and Spain has links with Real Madrid, Portugal with SL Benfica. Worldwide recognition for sport making a major positive impact on social exclusion has come from UEFA with the Monaco Cheque (previous winners include the Special Olympics and Football against Racism).
The Homeless World Cup is significantly transforming lives and communities around the world. The feeling of belonging, the challenge of working in a team, the process of regaining a health- oriented attitude towards life, self esteem and last but not least the experience of fun has seen significant change in players. Over 77% of players change their lives forever. They move forwards to find regular employment, come off drugs and alcohol, pursue education, improve their housing, and even play for semi-professional and professional football clubs. It also changes the attitudes of the public towards homeless people who are treated as heroes during the tournament and acknowledged for their courage and determination whilst encouraged and supported in transforming their lives.
The Homeless World Cup was co-founded by world leading Social entrepreneur Mel Young and Harald Schmied created the concept in 2001 at the Annual International Network of Street Papers Conference (INSP) in Cape Town.