Football Zajedno Training Seminar in Podgorica

The Football Zajedno training seminar held in Podgorica from 20 to 22 January was attended by 28 young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Austria. Representatives of football schools, clubs, NGOs and other relevant educational institutions. The two-day covered various topics related to human rights such as identity, nationalism, discrimination, equality, racism, and other social topics relevant for the SEE region.

Mr. Amil Gerina on behalf of the Football Association of Montenegro, opened the seminar and expressed their satisfaction with the cooperation and the results achieved within the Football Zajedno project so far. Experienced international facilitators and local experts where sharing their skills and knowledge with pracitcal and theoretical input. 

The participants had the opportunity to learn innovative so-called fairplay methods that combine practical methods of physical training, and fun and educational games with the social topics relevant to their local communities. 

“The training was an excellent opportunity for young people and those who work with young people to connect, exchange experiences and become aware of their role in the promotion of democracy. Through interactive exercises, lectures and discussions, we learned together that sport is much more than just a game”, was pointed out by Andrea Mićanović, facilitator and local expert for the Training Seminar.

The event was well-received by the participants, who appreciated the quality of the training and the opportunities for networking and exchanging ideas. The participants found the seminar to be a valuable learning experience and a great opportunity to enhance their personal and professional development.

David Hudelist, from the fairplay Initiative at the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation said that „the training seminar was a successful event that contributed to spreading the Football Zajedno network and building capacity for innovative learning methods. We would like to thank the funding organisations for their support, and we look forward to seeing a lot of workshops in the region.“

The seminar was a collaborative effort between iZi - Igramo Zajedno Inicijativa and the fairplay Initiative at VIDC from Austria. The Training Seminar was funded by the Football Associations of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina through the UEFA HatTrick V program and the Austrian Development Agency.