Real Madrid

The Realmadrid Foundation and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) have opened sociosports academies in the UNRWA educational centres in the occupied Palestinian territories (the Gaza Strip and the West Bank). This project, which will benefit more than 1,000 children, aims to promote the teaching of values, team work, gender equality and leadership in an area with constant military aggression.

The Realmadrid Foundation coaching staff travelled to the occupied Palestinian territories to train the future football coaches of the UNRWA academies in Khan Younis Training Centre (the Gaza Strip) and Kalandia Training Center (the West Bank). The 29 participants, 20 men and 9 women, have been selected in part according to their motivation to know and pass on Real Madrid C.F.'s methodology and their experience and training in physical education, in particular in football.

Some 1,000 Palestinian refugee children from 11 of the Agency’s 700 schools, 5 in the Gaza Strip and 6 in the West Bank, an average of 100 per school, will participate in the project. They will have the opportunity to play one of the refugees' favourite sports, football, while at the same time learn values such as team work and improve their self-esteem.