From Philadelphia to Israel: The Fruits of the Beyond Sport Summit

Mifalot Chinuch was founded as Hapoel Tel Aviv FC’s social responsibility project in 1997. Its vision is to fully utilise the potential and power of football in order to build more active, compassionate and cohesive communities and support the sustainable development of a more open, just, and engaged society. Mifalot programmes use football to teach life skills to children with special needs, promote the integration and inclusion of newly arrived immigrants, create bonds of friendship between Israelis and Palestinians, and provide assistance to children living in at-risk, disadvantaged or isolated communities. The organisation reaches out to around 20,000 participants a year.

After making the acquaintance of Camaquito, the international charity that supports children and adolescents in Cuba in the fields of education, sport, culture and health, at the Beyond Sport Summit last summer in Philadelphia, Mifalot found a match for partnership and exchange of knowledge.

Last week Mark Kester, founder of Camaquito, and Andreas Keller, a board member, visited Mifalot in Israel. The visit included a tour of several of Mifalot's programs, including a program for teenagers at an alternative jail, an outdoor training program for special needs children and a youth at-risk team participating in the "Know your Neighbor" program that brings Arabs and Jews together through football.

The visit also included an introduction to Mifalot's educational staff and a study of Mifalot’s educational material.  Mifalot is keen to continue this relationship and exchange further knowledge and ideas, perhaps with a reciprocal visit to Cuba the near future.