THE PROJECT OF THE ORGANIZATION

OF THE HOMELESS WORLD CUP 2007 IN POZNAŃ

1. THE IDEA AND DESCRIPTION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

2. THE POSSIBLE VENUES AND DATE OF THE TOURNAMENT

3. THE LOGISTICS AND TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE EVENT

4. THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

5. THE RULES OF THE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

1. THE IDEA AND DESCRIPTION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The main idea of streetsoccer, which has been outlined by Mel Young, the initiator of the International Network of Streetpapers, is to gather people of different social backgrounds around football and to promote it among them as one of the most popular sports disciplines in the world.

Unlike its commercial variety and due to its specific character, streetsoccer is a common and popular sport which doesn’t require any substantial sums of money to be trained. Thanks to this aspect, it has become a kind of sport played by those social groups that have no opportunities of doing other commercial sports e.g. in clubs, or of paying for the use of any sports centres.

            The fact that streetsoccer is so common seems to be conducive to social integration of people from different local backgrounds. In fact, for many city’s inhabitants, it constitutes the only opportunity of participating in social life in an active way or the only opportunity of emerging in the realm of sport. Still, for many youngsters coming from pathological families, streetsoccer is also a springboard to their self-development as well as to their healthy future.

            What shows best the dynamic increase in the people’s interest in such forms of sport all around the world is the growing number of countries taking part in the Homeless World Cup. In 2002, there were 18 national teams participating in the main tournament. The following year, the number went up to 24, and last year, we welcomed the teams from 28 countries. Nevertheless, this number doesn’t reflect the total interest concerning this sporting event as some countries simply couldn’t afford to join the tournament or didn’t manage to get the necessary visas.

            This year, we are expecting to have about 32-34 national teams playing in the Homeless World Cup. Considering the excellent achievements of the Polish national streetsoccer team, the whole sporting event is very close to us. Playing in Graz (Austria) in 2003, our team took the 12^th place and the following  year, in Gothenburg (Sweden) they were the third. Last year, in Edinburgh (Scotland), they won the vice-champion title in the Homeless World Cup and this title is still valid.

            The organization of such a large international sporting event is a very serious undertaking which is prestigious both for the city itself and for the institutions involved in the management of the championships. In addition, it wins the recognition of other international organizations, and finally, it also shows that the city authorities and its social institutions care about the public welfare and about the development of the society through its integration.

During the meeting, the city authorities’ letter of intent was handed over to the Association by Marcin Napierała. The letter singed by Ryszard Grobelny, the President of the City of Poznan, expresses the city authorities’ approval and support for all the actions being taken by the Association with a view to organizing the Homeless World Cup in Poznan. The participants of the meeting fixed the exact time of the championships in our city, which is 15 – 21 August 2007.  In addition, they agreed to be charged with various tasks as far as the project is concerned. The city authorities offered to take care of 34 national teams (that is about 500 people) for the whole week. Poznan Sports and Recreation Centre  took the responsibility for ensuring all the infrastructure necessary to hold this large sporting event. The venue of the Homeless World Cup is to be the area by the Malta Lake and its surrounding infrastructure (the changing rooms, press bureau, canteen etc.) whereas all the participants will be accommodated in the nearby hall of residence of Poznan University of Technology, in John Paul II’s Street. Moreover, the city authorities will be responsible for ensuring the participants of the Homeless World Cup a free-of-charge use of public transport and sports and recreational facilities e.g. swimming pools. Among the issues discussed during the meeting, there were also the ones connected with publishing the necessary press and promotional materials as well as those concerning the security of the competitors and sports facilities during the championships. Together with the Streetpaper, we also announced an open Mascot Design Competition for the 2007 Poznan Homeless World Cup. The next meeting of the unit has been arranged for February 8^th, 2006 at 10 a.m. in the seat of the Association, at 150 Grunwaldzka Street, Poznan.

A special unit dealing with the 2007 Poznan Homeless World Cup Project was brought into existence by virtue of the Board of Barka Sports Association for Social Integration’s resolution 01/2005. Among others, the unit consists of some representatives from the authorities of the Board of the Association, the ones from the Department of Sport and Recreation of Poznan City Council, the Board of Poznan Sports and Recreation Centre, the Greater Poland Football Association, the Board of Barka Foundation for Mutual Help, the Streetpaper, and the All-Polish Association for Social Integration. The list of the people involved is as follows: 

1. Barka Sports Association for Social Integration – Jarosław południkiewicz

2. Barka Sports Association for Social Integration – Jacek Kaczmarek

3. Barka Sports Association for Social Integration – Roman Bogusławski

4. Barka Foundation for Mutual Help – Ewa Sadowska

5. Streetpaper Association – Dagmara Walczyk

6. The President of the City of Poznan’s Office – a person assigned

7. Polish Football Association – a person assigned

8. The Greater Poland Football Association – a person assigned

9. Poznan Sports and Recreation Centre – a person assigned

10. The All-Polish Federation for Social Integration – Wojciech Zarzycki

The unit is brought into existence in order to prepare for and create the opportunities to realize the Homeless World Cup Project. The final effect of its work is to generate appropriate documents that could be sent as an application for the bid announced by the Homeless World Cup.

THE  STRRETSOCCER  AUTHORITIES’  OFFICIAL  POWER OF  ATTORNEY  TO  REPRESENT THE  COUNTRY  AND  TO BUILD  THE  POLISH  STREETSOCCER  LEAGUE