Celebrating the end of the season in Israel and Palestine

Tel Aviv - With the sun beating down and the smell of the sea strong in our nostrils, we took the long walk towards the school in Elifelet, located in the south of the city. Every week the Israeli children and African refugees train with Yaniw and Emanuele here, but for this midsummer visit, the bus took us to the GoalTime pitches. Awaiting us there was Yasha and Jasime, our local contacts, and kids from Jerusalem, who together with Ali, Rozi, Besan and Arturo and some parents, took to the field with Inter Campus. With four pitches and more than 70 kids, they all played at the same time in teams of six, showing grit and happiness even despite the heat. It was a truly joyous atmosphere, with everyone receiving both certificates and fresh ice lollies at the end. The day before in Jerusalem, other than receiving certificates, the Arab Israeli children and the Jewish Israeli children also watched their parents take part in a traditional match of enjoyment and integration. The second pitch gave us the opportunity to compare our Italian staff with the locals and it was agreed that the kids’ activities could be improved further thanks to a second weekly training session. This could now begin in October, timing nicely with our next visit.