On September 5, the youngsters of Norwegian Football club Elverum Fotball visited Ropazi, who, along with the youngsters of Ropazi Football Club Valor, agreed in a joint game. It wasn't the usual game because this time it was bound by the importance of friendship. This game proved that agreeing is possible ever, regardless of who you are, where you come from, what your religious affiliation or cultural peculiarity is.
As part of sports day, young people from the municipality of Elverum in Norway shared their own inspirational “heart story,” an emigration experience on their way to Europe from Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Thailand. As stark as their path to life in Europe has been, it is their participation in the football team “Elverum Fotball” that has brought joy and fulfillment to life from an early age. The storytelling session was also joined by Sirijs youths who hosted PMIC's Mucenieks for the moment.
For the Ropazi young people, it was a different experience of acceptance through creative and sporty cohesive activities and conversations in one language understood by all - English - throughout the day. For FK's Valor players, the experience of playing with fellow countrymen is no longer called new, with young refugees and asylum seekers from PMIC's Mucenieks joining the team weekly in training.
The measure has been implemented within the framework of the project “integration-related activities in Mucenieks” (No. LV-LOCALDEV-0007, contract No. EEZ/INP/06). The project is being implemented under the programme “local development, poverty reduction and cultural cooperation” co-financed by Islande, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA grants.
