Bohemian Football Club, based in Dublin, and the Palestinian Football Association confirmed today, March 5, that they have organized a historic friendly match to take place in Dalymount Park to commemorate Nakba.
Both parties have agreed to facilitate friendly football matches in both Ireland and Palestine, Bohemians said in a statement on Tuesday.
The first of these matches will see the Bohemians women’s team playing against the Palestinian women’s team in a historic football game to be played in Dublin's Dalymount Park on May 15.
This match will mark the 76th anniversary of Nakba, with the intention to shed light on the human rights situation in occupied Palestine.
The funds raised through the match will be used to facilitate the visit of the Palestinian football team as well as provide funds for humanitarian relief efforts in Palestine.
❤️🇵🇸🖤 Bohemian Football Club and the Palestinian Football Association can confirm they have organised a historic friendly match to take place in Dalymount Park to commemorate Nakba: https://t.co/wom2tb18at
Both parties have agreed to facilitate friendly football matches in both… pic.twitter.com/cgJztycNQh
— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) March 5, 2024
Lt. General Jibril Al-Rjoub, President of the Palestine Football Association (PFA), held a meeting on Monday with Daniel Lambert, Chief Operations Officer, and Seán McCabe, Head of Climate Justice and Sustainability, from the Bohemian Football Club to discuss collaboration opportunities.
President Al-Rjoub also explored potential areas of collaboration between the Football Association and Bohemian FC and a possible signing of a MoU to strengthen the historical ties between Irish and Palestinian people.
Bohemian FC thanked Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid for facilitating the talks that led to this game being agreed.
Bohemian FC noted that it has been supporting Sport for Life Palestine through sales of its 2023 away shirt which fund access to sports for children in the city of Tulkarem in the West Bank.
The Dublin-based football club said that given recent horrific events, the work of the charity Sport for Life Palestine has been severely impacted and their activities now serve as an outlet to try to relieve young children from the trauma they are going through.
"Both club- and fan-led actions, including screening Palestinian team games, fan displays at games, an outdoor screening of the film 'Gaza,' and funds sent to Sport for Life have tried to support the people of Palestine as they face an unimaginable situation," the club said on Tuesday.
"We hope that this game can highlight the positive power of football and raise significant funds to further support humanitarian efforts in Palestine, as well as covering costs for the women’s team to travel to Ireland."
Our 2023 away shirt to support children in Palestine 🇵🇸⚽️🇮🇪
More info here: https://t.co/cuHNqjynNK pic.twitter.com/JmnTzUonTW
— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) February 16, 2023
Bohemian FC said it will be announcing a series of events around the game in due course, as well as ticketing information, and that it hopes to see a sold out Dalymount Park in solidarity with the women of the Palestinian national team and their nation.
Matt Devaney, President of Bohemian FC said: “I would like to thank Ambassador Abdalmajid for her efforts in enabling this fixture and look forward to welcoming her and officials from the Palestinian FA to Dalymount Park and to hopefully raise a substantial sum to assist people in a truly dire situation.”
Ken Kiernan, Bohemian FC women’s team manager, said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to play this fixture. It will be great for our group to play at such an occasion, in what should be a sold out Dalymount Park, and test ourselves against women from another part of the world.”
Bohemians Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert said: “Football has enormous power to be a force for good across the world. Dalymount Park will send out a very important message of solidarity from Ireland to the Palestinian people on May 15.”
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