UNHCR, the UN refugee agency and Malmö FF recognize the power of sport when it comes to bringing people together, and today announce a partnership to strengthen refugee integration and integration in the city of Malmö.

Malmö FF promises to increase employment opportunities for refugees by committing to employ 50 refugees in their Food & Beverage and Service Organization by 2023.

In addition, Malmö FF – together with the city of Malmö through its established collaboration – will provide opportunities for refugee children and young people to participate in the “All equal value / School football against racism” activities.

These initiatives will lead to better integration and inclusion of refugees for the benefit of society and the refugees themselves, enabling them to rebuild their lives and thrive in their new hometown.

The steps now taken to formally submit promises to a global platform, managed by UNHCR – as the first sports club in Sweden – testify to years of community involvement and social responsibility, which guides Malmö FF in a wide range of activities. The football club is committed to combating racism, strengthen integration, fight unemployment and connect different groups in society.

“Malmö is a city full of opportunities, but also challenges. Malmö FF is a strong force in the city and we have the opportunity to address various societal challenges and be part of the solution to solve them. ” says Niclas Carlnén, CEO of Malmö FF. “Social responsibility is in our DNA and we have several examples in our history there we have engaged us in refugees, e.g. our chairman of the board saved 7,000 Danes judar from the German occupation of Denmark during World War II, and 2015 when Malmö was the first entrance for a large number of refugees. It is natural for us to get involved in this target group. ”

In recent years, UNHCR has increasingly collaborated with sports units at both local, national and international levels. In June this year, the UNHCR signed a cooperation agreement with UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, to establish long-term initiatives to support and help refugees and other displaced people through football. Participation in sport – with its significant potential to positively impact health, well-being and inclusion – can help refugees build better futures.

“Football and sports have a unique unifying force in society. It makes a difference, for society and in people’s lives, when Malmö FF, this year’s Swedish champion, stands with refugees and undertakes to support the integration work. ” says Henrik M. Nordentoft, UNHCR’s representative in the Nordic and Baltic countries. “We hope that Malmö FF’s strong and bold commitment will inspire other sports clubs in Sweden to follow their lead.”

With the concrete promises of refugee integration, Malmö FF joins a global network consisting of governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, academia and others to realize the ambitions of Global Compact on Refugees, adopted by UN member states in 2018. This global agreement aims to ensure a better, more solidary and sustainable response to the record high level of forced relocation, including by strengthening refugees’ self-confidence and inclusion.

Since the world’s first global refugee forum was convened by the UNHCR in 2019, more than 1,400 commitments on concrete initiatives, projects and support have been announced, setting the ambitions for Global Compact to the lives and tangible impact of the globally now more than 82 million people who are forced out of their homes due to conflict, violence and persecution.

Today, Malmö FF will participate side by side with refugee athletes and other sports units in a global webinar, focusing on “Advancing refugees’ self-confidence through sport”. The event takes place in the run-up to this week’s highLevel Officer Meeting, organized by the UNHCR. Here, a wide range of stakeholders will take stock of the progress made since the Global Refugee Forum and identify gaps that still need to be addressed to achieve solutions for people forced to flee and their hosts.

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