London's Chelsea soccer team and the World Jewish Congress have launched an international competition seeking innovative ideas for projects designed to help unite sports fans and build bridges between people of different backgrounds and faiths.
The Pitch for Hope campaign is open to young people aged 18 to 23 in the U.S., Britain, and Israel.
In Israel, the competition will mainly involve students at the nation's art schools, including the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and Shenkar, among others, whereas in the U.S. and Britain it will be operated by institutions that promote coexistence, Jewish and Muslim groups, and educational institutions.
A special committee made up of representatives from the Chelsea F.C. organization and the WJC will judge the projects and choose one winner from each participating country. Winners will take home $10,000 each to use in realizing their ideas, and will be flown to London to watch an international match at Chelsea's home Stamford Bridge stadium.
Pitch for Hope is funded by special donations from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder and is set to expand to Germany and France in 2019 after soccer teams from across Europe expressed an interest in the project.
Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck said his organization hoped that Pitch for Hope would start a process that Chelsea believed was "vital and long overdue."
"Change does not happen overnight, it takes time, education and understanding, and therefore we have devised the initiative as a long-term project that will grow and build, and hopefully inspire other clubs to follow our lead and create their own anti-Semitism initiatives, as well as working together with us on joint campaigns and activities," Buck said.
