Young people from the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths joined a dedicated Interfaith in Football event on 4th June, hosted by Arsenal FC at the Emirates Stadium and attended by representatives from the PFA.
30 students from three single-faith schools came together to play football on the Gunners’ home pitch, and heard from the PFA’s Dean Furman, former professional player and South African international, and Riz Rehman, former Brentford player and leader of the union’s Asian Inclusion Mentoring Scheme (AIMS).
Dean Furman said: “I’m incredibly proud to have been involved with the Interfaith Football Event and enjoyed interacting with the youngsters from various faiths and backgrounds.
“Sport has the power to unite people and break down social barriers, and events like this can have an incredibly positive impact on local communities.”
Riz Rehman said: “Interfaith football events like these are a great opportunity to bring together young people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities to challenge misconceptions, build friendships, and raise aspirations through the work of clubs, community groups and the wider football family. It was a pleasure to be involved.”
Aliya Azam, Head of Science at Al-Sadiq and Al-Zahra Schools, and one of the organisers of the day, said: "This day opened the door to a deeper understanding for our students of their Jewish and Christian peers, and that's vitally important."
Rabbi Natan Levy, Head of Operations for Faith Forum for London and event organiser, also praised the engagement by each school, adding that “real-life engagement” can help “break down barriers.”
