EWOS – Spain

EWOS – Spain

During the European Week of sports, a friendly match was organized in the “Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper”, where Barcelona Football Club trains. Participating teams were Barça Genuine Foundation and Nastic Genuine. Barça Genuine Foundation team is a football team of 24 people with intellectual disabilities (girls and boys), from 18-25 years old. Nastic Genuine is a team that promoted the first league for people with intellectual disabilities: Genuine League Santander, in which Barça Genuine Foundation team competes from the 2021-2022 season with 24 players with different intellectual disabilities.

This match was a day of joy, diversity, struggle and, above all, self-esteem and self-realisation with the 50 people who played the match and with more than 100 people in the stands. It was a special match because players showed their commitment with this European Parliament initiative that has taken place since 2015 to promote physical activity throughout the continent, with the moto “#Beactive”. Two matches were played simultaneously during the meeting with Nàstic, so that all players could play. Before and after the match, both teams publicized this “beactive” campaign to encourage participation in sports as a tool for inclusion.

The event took up an entire morning. In this the following schedule was made:

– First of all, all attendees were welcomed with music and the dance that is always used: “The HAKA”: This dance comes from the Tangata Whenua, an indigenous people of New Zealand, and consists of a ritual dance or war cry. Sports teams such as the New Zealand All Blacks, who dance the ‘Haka’ at international matches, have made this dance world renowned.

– All the colleagues who were part of the teams were also applauded, to motivate them to practice sports.

– The match was played, where the Barça Geunine Foundation and Nastic Geunine were the protagonists. -Once the match was over, a family photo was taken, where it was mentioned: #beactive and a general explanation of the project was made, so that all those present knew it.