Experts using soccer as a tool to tackle social issues will gather in Atlanta for a first-of-its-kind event in the USA
ATLANTA (March 10, 2017) – ‘Soccer in the Streets’ announced today the ‘streetfootballworld’ Summit - a gathering of soccer experts from around the world - with over 100 years of collective experience employing soccer as a tool for social change. Leaders working in underserved communities across the United States, Australia, Colombia, Brazil, India, Germany, Kenya, UK, Serbia, Israel, and St. Lucia, will take part in this first-of-its-kind event in the USA.
The summit, hosted by Soccer in the Streets, is supported by Laureus USA, a national non-profit who recently launched their Sport for Good Atlanta initiative in partnership with Mercedes-Benz USA, whom is set to contribute its expertise during the event. As a founding ‘streetfootballworld’ Network Member, ‘Soccer in the Streets’ will participate in the various scheduled discussions and activities.
The event will kick-off this Saturday, March 11th, with a Community Soccer Festival at ‘Station Soccer’, followed by “Atlanta: Rising United Workshop”, featuring discussions for achieving social change through soccer.
‘streetfootballworld’ is an international non-profit organization, pursuing a future in which boys and girls are treated as equals both on and off the field — a future in which everyone has access to safe places to play and in which social purpose is embedded at the heart of the sports industry. ‘streetfootballworld’ network members have developed valuable expertise using soccer as a tool to tackle racism, gender inequality, violent extremism, and refugee integration, among other issues.
The ‘streetfootballworld’ network connects over 120 organizations in 70 countries that use the power of the world’s most popular sport to tackle urgent social issues affecting young people. Every two years, a Network Board is elected to represent the fast-growing field of ‘soccer for good’, embodying true pioneers in the field from across the world (see Profiles enclosed). These inspirational leaders will come together to discuss the power of soccer to change the world – and how their experience can help the growth of the game in the USA.
The landmark event coincides with an exciting time for soccer in Atlanta; the inaugural season of Atlanta United FC, a franchise that was able to sell out its entire allocation of season tickets before a single game had been played. With the support of the Atlanta United Foundation, local ‘streetfootballworld’ Network Member - ‘Soccer in the Streets’ - recently launched ‘Station Soccer’, the first-ever soccer pitch in the world located within the perimeter of a train station.