December 5 – In commemoration of World AIDS Day, the FIFA Foundation partnered with Perkumpulan Rumah Cemara to orchestrate a friendly match in Bandung in an effort to raise awareness for the Indonesia Without Stigma campaign.
The match brought together a diverse spectrum of participants, including players from the National Homeless World Cup team, individuals living with HIV (PLHIV), those affected by drug use, members of marginalised communities, and the public in an effort to promote inclusivity and reduce social stigma.
Post the match, over 50 players, aged 16 and above, engaged in the friendly game before journeying to Surakarta to witness the U-17 World Cup Final showdown between Germany and France on Saturday, which the young Germans coming out on top.
Rumah Cemara is a non-governmental organisation backed by the FIFA Foundation Community Programme, which diligently works to foster an Indonesia free from stigma and discrimination.
Their mission encompasses ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare, advocating for rights-based laws and human rights protection, and facilitating opportunities for comprehensive development.
Through FIFA Foundation funding, Rumah Cemara operates in four branches nationwide, along with participation in diverse festivals across Indonesia. The support enables the organisation to leverage football as a tool for education on HIV/AIDS and sexual transmission infections, promote gender equality, and cultivate catalysts for diversity-driven change.
“Our support to Rumah Cemara is based on the shared conviction that football is more than a game. Through this programme, football is at the core of the transformation of individuals and communities” said Head of the FIFA Foundation, Mariana Banus.
“We work with Rumah Cemara, but those playing today are the true agents of change. They are helping to educate the communities around us, they are setting the example and they are champions of this movement; a movement that mobilises football for a better and more united world.
“This friendly match today, led by the players themselves, illustrates that on and off the pitch, we are all one team, who can join together through one shared passion.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1713947620labto1713947620ofdlr1713947620owedi1713947620sni@g1713947620niwe.1713947620yrrah1713947620