SEVILLA FC HOST LATEST 'CROSSPORT' PROJECT EVENT IN AIDE OF REFUGEES

The Sevilla FC Foundation have been actively participating in the European 'CrosSport' project, an initiative forming part of the Erasmus+ scheme and whose remit is to explore new channels to improve the inclusion and integration of refugees in European Union countries through sport. As an important member of the project, the club has hosted this week's event at the Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), where Sevilla FC was represented by director Luis Castro. 

In Castro's own words, "the mass movement of people is historic and universal, usually stemming from war. Migrants put in huge effort in their quest to adapt to new surroundings and this is where we must try to help them. We can do so through the universal power of sport, especially football. Sevilla FC wants to play its part in ensuring that everyone is treated equally, as we have shown through our commitment to the Mundialito de la Inmigration and other projects like CrosSport. I wish to welcome everyone here and thank you for supporting this initiative."

The objective of the event was to tackle, from various angles, the current hurdles to overcome in order to make society more inclusive through sport. Present at the meeting were Francisco Jesús Toronjo Benítez, general director of Immigration Policy in Andalucía; Carmen Ortiz, delegate from the Sevilla Board for Tourism, Culture and Sport; Beatriz Macías and Javier Gálvez from UPO. Also speaking at the gathering was José Viñas (Head of Sustainability at Sevilla FC), Paolo Casilli (ICSS Europe), María José García (Spanish Commission for Refugee Support), Carmen Ortiz (Red Cross), Elena Hernández (CEPAIM Foundation) and Rafael Pareja (Fútbol Mas España)".

The CrosSport project was founded two years ago and has since enjoyed the collaboration of the International Center for Security of Sport (ICSS), whose headquarters in Portugal hosted the first event, in 2022, the International Olympic Truce Center (IOTC), based in Greece, and 'Fondazione SS Lazio 1900' of Italy.