07 May 2015
After kicking off the UNESCO Cup initiative with last June’s unforgettable game against Real Madrid at Juventus Stadium, the Juventus Legends are preparing to return home for another charity fundraiser, this time against Argentine giants Boca Juniors on Thursday 18 June.
The funds raised from the match will once again go towards two projects working to improve the lives of child soldiers in Mali and the Central African Republic and help restore peace in these countries.
The aim of these initiatives is to provide the assistance needed for former child soldiers to be reintegrated into a peaceful society.
A host of legendary names from years gone by will be turning out for both sides. The Bianconeri will be able to count on the likes of David Trezeguet, Pavel Nedved, Edgar Davids and Mauro German Camoranesi, while Martin Palermo, Claudio Caniggia, Roberto Abbondanzieri and Guillermo Barros Schelotto are to be making the trip over to Turin for the exhibition match.
The occasion marks a further strengthening of the rapport between Juventus and UNESCO, who continue to work on behalf of the club in conducting a study into discrimination and opposition to inclusion in sport around the world - an investigation that will be made available to all stakeholders in sport upon its completion.
David Trezeguet, president of Juventus Legends
“I’d like to thank the club for having shown faith in me and giving me the chance to become the president of the Legends. With our projects developing all the time, we need to engage the entire world and spread our history everywhere we go. We have just been in Japan, where we had an extraordinary experience, in a packed stadium full of people wearing Juve shirts. On 18 June, we’ll play at Juventus Stadium and for me it will represent a homecoming, in front of my fans in a wonderful stadium in which I’ve not yet had the chance to play. I’ll be proud to take to the field alongside my team-mates for a great match against one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. You all know that my heart is with another team, but I have great respect for Boca.”
Enzo Pagani, chairman of Boca’s social projects
“Boca is a club with a particularly strong bond with Italy. Since our foundation 110 years ago, we’ve been based in the area of Buenos Aires that is most closely linked to this country, given that the club was founded by a group of men from Genoa. This bond has been consolidated over time, and when we saw the Legends of Juventus and Real Madrid face off last year, we instantly wanted to take part in the project. I’d like to thank the Bianconeri and UNESCO for giving us the opportunity to do so. We understand and share the importance of making football a vehicle for equality. Indeed, Boca Social is currently working on 15 different programmes in Buenos Aires, reaching around 2500 people. We’re proud that some of our iconic players are still active and continue to dedicate their time to charitable pursuits. We await you in Buenos Aires in November for the next leg of this project.”
Eric Falt, Unesco's Assistant-Director General for External Relations and Public Information
“Proceeds from the UNESCO Cup will be used to fund two projects supported by Juventus and UNESCO which work to rehabilitate child soldiers in Mali and the Central African Republic and consolidate peace in the two countries. The aim of the projects is to ensure that child soldiers have the necessary support to reintegrate into peaceful society and learn to read and write. They will then be taught technical and professional skills so that they can learn simple trades that will enable them to earn a living. In the Central African Republic, we have so far been able to reintegrate 83 male and 17 female child soldiers into society, thanks to five-week educational programmes and literacy classes which we hope will equip them with the necessary skills for their future professions. Due to the current instability in Mali, it is still difficult to carry forth projects and establish the exact number of child soldiers. It is estimated that there are around 1000 of them, and we are working with the government to construct a greater understanding of the communities.
“The third initiative is a research project that aims to analyse the connection between worldwide discrimination and exclusion in relation to sport. The research will later be presented in a report, which can be used to equip all stakeholders in the world of sport with the necessary tools to combat racism and discrimination in general. The report is currently in the editing phase and we hope that it will be ready for publication by the start of next season.”
Tickets for the game are now on sale. For prices and further information, please visit the Ticket Office section of Juventus.com.
