A soccer team from the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, Palestine, has arrived in Cape Town for a series of scheduled matches this month.
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Sport4Humanity (S4H), the Sports Stepping Stones Foundation (SSS), the Green Brigade and Africa4Palestine are hosting the Lajee Celtic Club from the Aida Refugee Camp for three games in South Africa as part of the Aida2Africa tour.
According to IOL, the team arrived in Johannesburg for the first leg of the Aida2Africa tour, coordinated by Africa4Palestine, on June 28 and played their first game on Saturday.
The team touched down in Cape Town on Monday, 1 July. They are scheduled to face the SSS Football Academy on 3 July and Garlandale FC on 7 July.
The showdown with the SSS Football Academy is slated for 7pm at Erica Park Sports Ground, Chestnut Way, Belhar. Following that, they will clash with Garlandale FC at 314 Imam Haron Road, Lansdowne, for their next match.
The matches are free to attend.
The team received a warm welcome with a dinner in Lansdowne on Monday.
Established in 2017, the Lajee Celtic Club operates as a football academy within the Aida Refugee Camp. Supported by the Lajee Center and the Green Brigade, it empowers young Palestinian refugee footballers by nurturing their talents and helping them pursue their aspirations.
Laudium Academy v Lajee Celtic
The first of three matches during our Aida to Africa tour of South Africa.
Come see us in Cape Town next. pic.twitter.com/OT2lasp0QF
— Lajee Celtic (@lajeeceltic) June 30, 2024
Mohammad Al-Azza of Lajee Celtic expressed his appreciation to all those involved, acknowledging that the decision to travel was a challenging yet crucial step forward.
‘We have lived through similar struggles, living under racist colonisation and apartheid regimes, and we can learn more about the South African experience, tradition and culture first-hand.’
‘Also, it’s a place for us, as Palestinians, to raise our voice at the same time the genocidal war on Gaza and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza is ongoing.’
‘It was not an easy decision to make, to travel at this moment, but we believe spreading the message abroad is important.’
Also read:
Cape Town offers Athlone Stadium to Palestine football matches for free
Picture: @Lajee Celtic / X
