FC Bayern is continuing its commitment to those in need due to the war in Ukraine: Five million people have been displaced, and more than 360,000 have already reached Germany. As part of their relief measures, the German record champions are now organising special housing in cooperation with the social services department of the city of Munich to offer a permanent home and care to a particularly vulnerable group of refugees, people with disabilities. In addition, the club is launching the free programme "We move together" from 26 April, creating sports opportunities on the FC Bayern Campus for all refugees seeking refuge in Munich.
FC Bayern president Herbert Hainer: "From the very beginning, FC Bayern took a stand against the war in Ukraine and expressed its solidarity with the people from Ukraine. For example, we first set up a fundraising campaign for children, and our employees, like very many Germans, immediately set about collecting relief supplies. Now FC Bayern will support people with disabilities from Ukraine with a sustainable care package. We all wish for and are demanding an immediate end to this war, but we in Europe, in Germany, in Munich will be confronted with the inhumanity of such a war for a long time to come. Sport is aware of its responsibility. I am very grateful to the Lord Mayor of the City of Munich, Dieter Reiter, that the FC Bayern family can implement a sustainable commitment here as a partner of the city, which we can link up with our other Ukraine initiatives, such as our free sports programme 'We move together' for children and young people on our FC Bayern Campus. I would also like to thank FC Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn, and my colleague Karl Hopfner, chairman of the board of FC Bayern Hilfe eV. FC Bayern München AG and FC Bayern Hilfe eV will be financing the rental project costs of more than €200,000 in equal parts."
Lord Mayor of the City of Munich Dieter Reiter: "I am delighted with this great commitment by FC Bayern, which also focuses on people who have been hit particularly hard by the war in their home country, Ukraine. Together with our municipal social services department, we can thus offer people with disabilities a longer-term perspective with us. And the sports programmes we offer also play an important role in that. That's what makes our city so special, that people here help each other, like the many volunteers who are taking in refugees, finding them flats or supporting them in their care. But our associations, clubs and companies are also getting involved, just like FC Bayern here. Thank you very much for this terrific support!”
The joint housing project of FC Bayern and the City of Munich stipulates that the German record champions will guarantee the rental costs for an initial period of two years. The social services department will organise the running of the project as well as the integration and care of the approximately 15 people.
"We move together" will offer slots to refugees from the age of around ten on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the FC Bayern Campus between 2 and 5 pm for football, basketball, handball, table tennis and general sporting activities. Supervision will be provided by coaches and FC Bayern staff on a voluntary basis. Registration and information are available at wemovetogether@fcbayern.com.
Since the beginning of the war, FC Bayern has, among other things, illuminated the Allianz Arena, both externally and internally, in the Ukrainian national colours on Bundesliga matchdays to send a signal of solidarity. Since then, further symbolic gestures have been made regularly at home games in men's and women's football and basketball. Together with its partner SOS Children's Villages Worldwide, the club also set up a fundraising campaign in which it donated €100,000 at the launch through its FC Bayern Hilfe eV. FC Bayern employees organised an internal relief supplies collection campaign, and with the cover of the April issue of its members' magazine "51", the German record champions sent another clear signal for the desire for peace by integrating a dove of peace into the Bavarian lozenges of its club crest, which on this particular occasion and as an exception, was coloured blue and yellow.
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