Wednesday 24th April, 2024 at 10:25am
Clubs across the UK join Amnesty’s Football Welcomes campaign to show solidarity with those who have fled conflict and persecution.
This year marks seven years of Amnesty International’s Football Welcomes campaign and Partick Thistle, alongside hundreds of clubs across the UK, have signed up to continue efforts to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum.
Each year, Football Welcomes celebrates the role football can play in bringing people together. To play our part in the initiative, the club are designating our home game against Ayr United on 27th April as a ‘Football Welcomes’ day. Over 100 free tickets have been distributed to organisations across Glasgow that work to support people who have fled conflict and persecution, including British Red Cross, Refuweegee, Refugee Sanctuary Scotland, Govan Community Project, Central & West Integration Network and Glasgow City Mission. As part of the day, Jags For Good will also be holding a special pre-match donation drive to support the work of Refuweegee.
Thistle are just one of the many clubs from across the country, including many in the English Premier League, that have signed up to take part in Football Welcomes. To show their support for people seeking asylum, participating clubs have hosted a range of football-based events including training sessions, matches or stadium tours for refugees. Some clubs are incorporating learning about refugee rights in their work with schools, while others are helping to raise awareness online.
Sandy Abi-Elias of Amnesty International UK, said:
“It’s important to remember that people seeking asylum in the UK are real people, many of whom have already faced unimaginable harms and we must do all we can to support them, not demonise them. This is what Football Welcomes is all about, and we are so grateful to Partick Thistle for showing their support.
“No matter what, Amnesty will continue to welcome refugees alongside football clubs across the country to show there is more that unites us than divides us.”
