High Impact at Copenhagen 2007
Posted on 29/05/2008
Five years on and the research into the impact of the Copenhagen 2007 Homeless World Cup once again demonstrates significant change in the lives of the players - 71% of players significantly changed their lives coming off drugs and alcohol, moving into jobs, homes, training, education, repairing relationships all whilst continuing to play football.
This is what drives us. This is what matters. That people who are homeless are energised and can enjoy a sense of community, fun and friendship, love and encouragement and see positive change for themselves. The Homeless World Cup will travel with football to each and every corner of the world to find players to join the team.
Believe that we can end homelessness. Believe that we can end poverty. People who are homeless, believe that you can change. We create a framework, use our imagination, and believe we can change lives, change the world. We have shown this in a small way again in Copenhagen. It is time to do more. Believe in the spirit of the international tournament, the magic that happens to unite, to inspire, to transform.
Thank you to everybody who made Copenhagen 2007 a phenomenal success. Thank you to the hosts Ombold, Social Ministry, and City of Copenhagen and the thousands of spectators. Thanks also to everyone else involved that are too many to mention but include the team at our headquarters working all year round, sponsors, all our partner projects across the globe, volunteers and of course the players whose spirit make this the special tournament that it is.
Now we move on to the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne from 1-7 December 2008 with a fabulous legacy of 30 street soccer programmes across Australia. There are grass roots football projects working with over 30,000 people who are homeless all year round in over 60 nations and more being started everyday.
Let's redouble our efforts and go step-by-step, leap-by-leap towards the mission to engage one million players in 75 nations by 2012.
Thanks for joining to make it happen. We will see you all there.
Mel Young
Download the Copenhagen 2007 Homeless World Cup Impact Report
