Two worlds, two hours apart by car, both enclosed in the same city. In the upper part of Tehran, our hosts have found an apartment for the Inter delegation in the northern side of city and the mountains. This is a useful location for the meetings that we’ll have with potential project donors. As for the southern part, Shahre Rey, this is at least 200 hundred metres lower and 20 kilometers away in terms of distance. It is here where we head on a daily basis to work with the 80 children who are linked to the Popli Khalatbari Charity Foundation.
Visibly different in appearance from other Iranians with their features, almost of all of them have Afghan roots, arriving with their parents during the lengthy civil war that has yet to conclude. These children are monitored, with regard to their compulsory schooling and financial requirements, by a social worker. During the afternoons they are often busy completing various jobs to help their families. Working as bakers, sellers etc.
However, at least twice a week after school they all take part in sporting activities that Inter Campus has set up with the help of the Foundation, supporting both schooling and integration.
Along this path and with the help of our Embassy, we’ve met the Italian School of Tehran, who’ve generously helped us with our work and whose President instantly made clear that they understood the educational value of sport. They subsequently promised us that we will organise activities and football friendlies together, with the aim of uniting children from the two different parts of this immense city of 16 million people.
Further help will likely come from local businesspeople, who’ve picked up on the strength of our commitment, and also Tehran’s Inter Club (The Nerazzurri DNA never fails). They’ve already helped the victims of the recent earthquake in Kerman and have now promised to assist with our project for the kids. Iran is a country well known for its generosity and hospitality, a country in flux yet one which always welcomes us like brothers. This is because we are all ‘Brothers of the World’, as was noted by our founders.
