The FC Barcelona Foundation took centre stage at the University of Barcelona on Thursday in an event held in the Aula Magna auditorium of its historic Plaça Universitat building for the launch of the Foundation’s campaign against racism in sport, featuring players from Barça’s men’s and women’s first football teams. The event was attended by FC Barcelona President, Rafael Yuste, alongside the Foundation’s Director General, Dr Marta Segú, and University of Barcelona Rector, Joan Guàrdia.

The presentation was followed by a talk and Q&A session on the subject by former FC Barcelona French international and renowned anti-racism activist, Lilian Thuram. Prior to this, attendees visited the “Tant se val d’on venim” (“No matter where we’re from”) exhibition, on display in the university’s main lobby, which showcases FC Barcelona’s social commitment and the Foundation’s charitable work through a collection of around fifty photographs.

Campaign Against Racism in Sport

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Saturday 21 March, the Foundation released a powerful video on racism in football, starring footballers from the men’s and women’s first teams. The video shows the reactions of four men’s first-team players (Eric García, Alejandro Balde, Wojciech Szczęsny and Gerard Martín) and three women’s first-team players (Marta Torrejón, Esmée Brugts and Caroline Graham Hansen) as they listen to recordings of some of the racist and discriminatory chants and insults directed at players of colour on football pitches – incidents that are becoming increasingly frequent and represent a serious social problem.

You can watch the campaign video on the FC Barcelona Foundation’s You Tube channel.

The event continued with journalist Laura Rosel and Lilian Thuram in conversation about racism. The Barça Foundation has long collaborated with the Fondation Lilian Thuram – Éducation contre le racism, which the former French World Cup winner founded while playing for the Blaugrana club. Thuram is one of the world’s most authoritative and respected voices in denouncing racial discrimination. In his talks, he explains that racism is not limited to isolated behaviours but has historical and structural roots. 

The Foundation: Barça’s charitable arm

The “Tant se val d’on venim” exhibition takes its title from an iconic line in the FC Barcelona anthem that symbolises the fraternity and shared identity of its fans, regardless of where they come from. In this context, the exhibition is also proof that the spirit of the Blaugrana family knows no borders or ethnic boundaries, a sentiment reflected in the charitable work carried out by the Barça Foundation, which uses sport and the power of Barça as tools to improve the lives of children and young people around the world.

“Tant se val d’on venim” is a collection of some 50 photographs showcasing the work carried out over recent decades by FC Barcelona’s charitable arm, the Barça Foundation, in various countries worldwide. The images are also testament to the Club’s international reach and influence, and to the magical power of sport, and football in particular, as a universal language that changes lives and embodies its “More than a club” philosophy worldwide.

The exhibition features photographs taken by several audiovisual professionals who have visited Foundation projects around the world, notable among which is the work of Catalan photojournalist, Kim Manresa.

The photos tell the stories of children and young people around the world living in situations of extreme vulnerability on a daily basis, facing violence, poverty, displacement or severe environmental devastation. They include testimonies from countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Ecuador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, India, Morocco, Greece, as well as Catalonia, where the majority of the Foundation’s work is focused and where it has been running social projects for the past two decades. 
The exhibition also features children affected by serious illnesses who have received support over the years from FC Barcelona’s first-team footballers and professional athletes, as well as highlighting the Foundation’s “Polseres Blaugranes” (Blaugrana Bracelets) program, another initiative supported by Barça’s players that aims to improve the emotional wellbeing of seriously ill children and young people who spend long periods in hospital.

 

Força Barça