European Football Fans Congress due to kick-off at the World Cup 2014 . in Italy Football fans from more than 35 countries are coming together from 3 to 6 July in Bosco Albergati (near Bologna) in Italy. In various workshops, they are going talk about problems fans have to put up with but also about potential or existing solutions. The event is organised by the European fans network Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and takes place in a different country every year. This time, the Fans Congress is organised jointly with UISP and the TifoMagazine in the context of the world's biggest anti-racist football festival, the Mondiali Antirazzisti which will again see thousands of participants from all over the world.
Daniela Wurbs, FSE Spokesperson: "Dialogue with and international networking of football supporter are an important means to avoid conflict and strenghten the voice of supporters in the game. This 7th European Football Fans Congress should show that many fans in Europe work together in solidarity for the common cause. But it should also send a signal to the football institutions that we see many problems as fans in football and we want to be heard - even the most difficult preconditions. We want that people speak with us, rather than just about us." William Gaillard, Senior Advisor of UEFA Präsident Michel Platini supports this view: "Supporters are the lifeblood of football and UEFA have kept up a fruitful dialogue on all sorts of issues relevant to football supporters through FSE. FSE with its members is a great asset to football for they afford a unique and meaningful way for the voice, opinions, complaints and suggestions coming from supporters to reach the decision makers in the administration of the "beautiful game". An additional thought-provoking contribution outside the box will be made by Abdes Ouaddou in the context on a panel on the hot topic of international sport mega events and human rights. The French footballer will speak at the European Fans Congress about his experiences with the Kafala-System in Qatar, on the basis of which he was kept in the country by his club. Apart from that, author and blogger on Italian fan culture, Kai Tippmann, and James M. Dorsey, the internationally most well-known expert on football and fan culture in the Middle East will be present. Together with supporters from Turkey, Ukraine and Spain, he'll talk about the role of football fans in recent social protest movements. Alongside hundreds of registered participants from all over Europe, supporters from all over the world can follow the event also on the internet. The media team of the fans congress will constantly provide updates of discussions and results of the event and discussions via Twitter @FansEurope and the Hashtag #EFFC as well as on Facebook via facebook.com/FansEurope. Apart from that, the event will be documented on camera and published as a video summary after the event. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org John 'Grampa' Sykes Rest In Peace old lad 28th Oct 1938 - 12 Nov 2013 MARCHING ON TOGETHER
