Children Come Together for Football Festival on World Refugee Day
Children Come Together for Football Festival on World Refugee Day
UNHCR Cyprus | International Organization for Migration (IOM) Cyprus | Cyprus Football Association (CFA/KOP)
World Refugee Day 2026 — “Until Everyone Is Safe”
The Cyprus Football Association, IOM Cyprus and UNHCR Cyprus mark World Refugee Day through sport, integration, and joy
NICOSIA / KOFINOU, 22 June 2026 — On 16 June 2026, on the occasion of World Refugee Day — marked annually on 20 June under this year’s theme “Until Everyone Is Safe” — the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), IOM Cyprus and UNHCR Cyprus jointly organized a football event on 16 June 2026 at the Sotirio Sports Centre in Kofinou to mark World Refugee Day, observed annually on 20 June. The event brought together refugee children from the Kofinou Reception and Accommodation Centre and unaccompanied children benefiting from IOM Cyprus’s Semi-Independent Living programme, for an afternoon filled with sport, laughter, and belonging.
The children took part in football matches organised by age group and team games. Through its programme, IOM contributed to the organisation of parallel activities and ensured that meals were provided to all participating children, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to their wellbeing and inclusion.
— all within a safe, welcoming, and joyful environment. Through play and sport, they shared moments of connection, teamwork, and energy. For many of these children, who have experienced displacement and in some cases arrived in Cyprus without their families, the day offered something simple but profound: the chance to just be children.
The event marked the culmination of a programme that ran throughout the year, pairing children with professional coaches from CFA’s coaching school and giving them the opportunity to develop skills, build friendships, and engage with football in a structured and supportive setting. A training session held in April laid the groundwork, and the 16 June event brought everything together.
The day closed with a medal ceremony in which all participating children were recognised. Medals were presented by Andreas Morias, Deputy Director General of CFA and head of its social responsibility programme; Vassiliy Yuzhanin, Chief of Mission of IOM Cyprus; and George Elisseos, Protection Associate at UNHCR Cyprus.
Leslie Esther Vélez, UNHCR Representative in Cyprus, said:
“These are children who have known displacement, uncertainty, and loss. Watching them on the pitch — focused, energised, and smiling — is a reminder of their resilience and of what becomes possible when institutions come together around a shared commitment to their wellbeing. This year’s World Refugee Day theme, ‘Until Everyone Is Safe’, is not just a slogan. It is a responsibility. Events like this are one small but meaningful way of living up to it.”
“Our work with unaccompanied children in Cyprus is grounded in practical, daily support — from safe accommodation to life‑skills development and community engagement. Around the world, we see that when children who have experienced displacement are given stability and a safe environment, their resilience and potential are remarkable. Today’s joint initiative reflects that same commitment here in Cyprus: ensuring that children are protected, supported, and able to participate fully in community life.” — Vassiliy Yuzhanin, Chief of Mission, IOM Cyprus
World Refugee Day, marked every year on 20 June, is a global moment to honour the strength, courage, and resilience of people forced to flee their homes. This year’s theme — “Until Everyone Is Safe” — highlights that protection and safety are still not guaranteed for all, and that the collective work of CFA, IOM, UNHCR and other partners must continue. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, a milestone that underscores the enduring importance of the international commitment to protect those who have been forced to flee. The joint efforts of CFA, IOM and UNHCR demonstrate a shared commitment to ensuring that refugee and unaccompanied children in Cyprus are supported, protected, and given meaningful opportunities to belong. Events like the football event in Kofinou put this commitment into practice — showing how institutions can work together to create safe, inclusive spaces for children to connect, participate, and thrive.
#SportForProtection #WithRefugees #CyprusFootball
#WorldRefugeeDay #UntilEveryoneIsSafe
