“I want to share this prestigious Edinburgh Award with Everyone”
|Mel Young receiving the Edinburgh Award | Mel Young with the Edinburgh Award, joined by Homeless World Cup volunteers, representatives from Homeless World Cup Member Countries, Homeless World Cup Foundation staff and board members.
Image: The City of Edinburgh Council
Mel Young, co-founder and President of the Homeless World Cup Foundation, was officially presented with the coveted Edinburgh Award yesterday evening (24th October) at a special ceremony in Scotland’s capital.
On receiving the award and during his speech, Mel dedicated his achievement to everyone across the globe who has been a part of his journey:
“I would like to share this Award with the fabulous people who have made all these initiatives and especially the Homeless World Cup possible. It is impossible for one person to create the impact we have made on their own. It is about teamwork, commitment and hard work.
“If I use the Homeless World Cup as an example, we have a small dedicated team here in Edinburgh, a host of international volunteers who fly into our annual events from all over the world, street football partners in 70 countries who in turn have many more committed people and together we create an event which impacts the lives of 100,000 people a year and has impacted 1.3 million people since we started.
“One person does not do that alone.
“It is the power of hundreds of people doing small things which creates something much bigger and adds real value. You might not have heard of these people who are here tonight in different guises. Without their hard work and the hard work of our global team of volunteers I wouldn’t be standing here and that’s why I want to share it with everyone who has been involved with the Homeless World Cup Foundation over the past 21-years.
“Also, this Award belongs to the real heroes of our work, the homeless people themselves who change their own lives through their involvement with our tournament and our operations globally.”
Mel was officially presented with the Edinburgh Award by the Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge at a civic reception at the City Chambers. Since 2007, the Edinburgh Award has celebrated individuals who have made a truly unique contribution to the city and brought the Capital to national and international attention.
Alongside family, friends and invited guests, the Homeless World Cup President received an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost, an official award certificate, and a set of his handprints preserved in stone in the City Chambers quadrangle was unveiled.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Edinburgh Award Panel, Robert Aldridge said:
“It was a pleasure to present Mel Young with the Edinburgh Award yesterday evening. Mel’s handprints are now immortalised in stone at the City Chambers quadrangle, and he deservedly follows in the footsteps of some of the finest individuals associated with our great city.
“From The Homeless World Cup, to The Big Issue in Scotland, his passion and dedication to changing lives and advocating for fairness is admirable and inspiring. Through his work he has represented the Capital with pride, dedication, and skill.
“I’d like to congratulate Mel on behalf of the city, and I’m sure he will continue to do great things, both here in Edinburgh and beyond.”
|Mel Young and The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Edinburgh Award Panel, Robert Aldridge |
Image: The City of Edinburgh Council