Making ‘right a reality’ on and off the pitch
|Norway were awarded the FIFPRO Award on Day 5. Image: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez
Homeless World Cup all about “making right a reality” as teamwork moves from the pitch to the conference hall
For the past five days at the Homeless World Cup, teams from across the globe have proven that the best way to succeed is to work together.
While that mantra played out once again in a thrilling day of action on the pitch as competition heated up, it was also evident in the second ever Cities Ending Homelessness conference, which took place at Hanyang University today.
It’s an initiative with an ambitious aim - to bring together policy makers, social innovators, those with lived experience and academics from across sectors to discuss how to end homelessness.
As the 450 players at the Homeless World Cup evidence, there is no single reason for homelessness, and no single solution. But 19 tournaments in, it’s clear football can play a huge role in social change.
That’s the case for Norwegian goalkeeper Sebastian Hedquist. After a skateboarding accident turned his teenage life upside down, a spiral saw him addicted to drugs and living on the streets. But street soccer sparked something inside him; a chance to build back his body and soul. Once he’s back home, the tattooed Peter Schmeichel fan will continue his university studies and eventually become a kindergarten teacher.
But first, he has his country to represent in Seoul.
|Norway's goalkeeper Sebastian Hedquist Image: Anita Milas
The 29-year old’s team may have lost to Northern Ireland today but with days left of the competition, Sebastian’s life story shows he’s no stranger to turning things around.
Back in the conference, Eric Tars, the Senior Policy Director of the National Homelessness Law Center in the United States spoke of “making right a reality”, while keynote speaker, Roseanne Haggerty, the president of homelessness innovators Community Solutions summed up the spirit by telling the room "we believe that homelessness is solvable".
Honey Thaljieh knows a thing or two about fair play. The captain of the first all-female Palestinian football team is now a Homeless World Cup champion and today awarded the FIFPRO Fair Play Award to two nations in recognition for exceptional sporting behaviour.
|Norway were awarded the FIFPRO Award by Homeless World Cup Champion Honey Thaljieh on fifth day of the Homeless World Cup Image: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez
Norway showed exactly why they’ll be perfect hosts of the Homeless World Cup in 2025, their women’s team picking up the FIFPRO for showing huge compassion to the injured Danish goalkeeper. A few tears were shed as they collected their medals.
Honey then shared her own experiences of kicking a ball around the streets of Bethlehem with the Indian women’s team, many of whom come from the New Delhi slums. Growing up in a war zone, sport gave Thalijeh a window to the world. The Indian players are experiencing just that in Seoul, their award thanks to celebrating wildly when their opponents Sweden made it onto the scoresheet when the sub-continent’s representatives had built up a big lead. The dream is for it to be the first of many new opportunities for this hardy group of women.
|India were also decorated for their composure on the pitch Image: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez
On the pitch, the women’s tournament’s second stage comes to a climax tomorrow. The pick of the games saw Northern Ireland come back from a 3-1 deficit to take France to penalties after a topsy-turvy 5-5 draw, Sorcha McAleenan dispatching the winning spot kick. Elsewhere, Sweden and Austria came so close to first wins, edged out 2-1 by Switzerland and 4-2 by Denmark respectively. Champions last time round Mexico beat Egypt 3-0, the same score by which USA got past Finland. Romania made it through a tough encounter with Kenya 7-4.
Things are heating up in the men’s tournament too, with England, Bulgaria and Mexico tied on 13 points at the top of Group A at the outset of the day. The South Africans put themselves back into the equation beating Bulgaria 6-0, while England continued their excellent start with a 10-2 win v Germany and Mexico racked up a 13-1 win versus France.
|South African goalkeeper Miguel Rector kept a clean sheet against Bulgaria Image: Anita Milas
In Group B, the USA bested Sweden 10-7 and Portugal beat Italy 5-2 while a top of the table clash in Group C saw Indonesia beat Austria 4-3 as Hong Kong picked up their first win 11-5 against Greece. Over in Group D, Brazil moved past Zimbabwe 8-4 and Scotland picked up a 10-1 win v Finland while Uganda beat Australia 7-0.
Away from the pitches, it became even more evident why Hanyang University is an apt venue. Over in the Cities Ending Homelessness conference, delegates heard how the university was “founded on the practice of love” and students have a commitment to volunteering. It’s the only Ashoka Changemakers University in Asia and Homeless World Cup co-founder Mel Young has been an Ashoka fellow since 2013. His words from the stage resonated with everyone in the room as he spoke about how we can work together to end homelessness.
“Everybody just needs to do something.”
Simple. Powerful. And now it’s over to you.
Words: Daniel Tyte
Images: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez, Anita Milas