MENA

2005
84 Open Fun Football Schools (+225 one-day festivals)
16.083 children at Open Fun Football Schools (+ 29.814 at one-day festivals)

The problems of the country are apparent in all parts of the society, including the Lebanese Football Association and the professional football clubs, which are strongly politicized and divided between the different political, religious, and ethnical groups.
This division in Lebanese football has often caused tension and conflict in the stands during football matches, which has resulted in a total ban on spectator football. Due to these problems, football is seen as something that can further divide the country instead of bringing the different groups together. Neither the clubs nor the Football Association has been focusing on establishing and organizing grassroots football in the country in a large scale. Cross Cultures’ Open Fun Football program is aiming at bringing together Lebanese children and refugee children promoting integration and inclusion.
2005
23 Open Fun Football Schools (+919 one-day festivals)
5681 children at Open Fun Football Schools (+30.460 at one-day festivals)

Cross Cultures activities in Jordan focus on creating dialogue and peace between the local Jordanian youth and the many Syrian refugees who came to the country. The program called “Dialogue for Peace” was carried out by Streetfootballworld, Asian Football Development Project (AFDP) and Cross Cultures in corporation. The overall goal of the project was to mobilize Syrian and Jordanian youth in host communities and refugee camps through football programs that focused on addressing issues in conflict and post-conflict environments. The project was contributing to the building of peaceful relations between Jordan host communities and refugee families through network and community building activities.
Between 2017-2022, Cross Cultures implemented an extensive youth empowerment programme funded by the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme, wherein we have educated young unemployed Jordanians as volunteer football coaches and Community Organisers in our Youth Leadership Education. The volunteers have organised Open Fun Football Schools, sports festivals and daily sports activities for vulnerable children as well as developed their own projects addressing civil society issues.
2005
37 Open Fun Football Schools (+67 one-day festivals)
5.140 children at Open Fun Football Schools (+6.742 at one-day festivals)

Following the Arab Spring, Cross Cultures introduced the Open Fun Football Schools programme to provide Tunisian children and youth with opportunities to participate in- and influence society, become active citizens and create better life opportunities. Furthermore, we work to enhance a democratic governance structure within the sport for all sector by advocating, promoting, training, and facilitating network activities for young women and men all over Tunisia.
Between 2017-2022, Cross Cultures implemented an extensive youth empowerment programme funded by the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme, wherein we have educated young unemployed Tunisians as volunteer football coaches and Community Organisers in our Youth Leadership Education. The volunteers have organised Open Fun Football Schools, sports festivals, daily sports activities, dialogue panels between youth and government representatives and founded their own civil society associations addressing issues such as women’s rights, child safeguarding and youth radicalisation. The programme has been tremendously successful with results such as 74% of the Community Organisers finding formal employment or becoming social entreprenurs.
2005
33 Open Fun Football Schools (+133 one-day festivals)
5.709 children at Open Fun Football Schools (+62.983 at one-day festivals)

Morocco is Cross Cultures newest partner country, where we have been active since the beginning of 2018 with the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme. Our activities in Morocco especially focus on gender equality and disadvantaged youth as well as cooperation with the other countries in the Danish-Arab Partnership programme, Tunisia and Jordan.
2018
0 Open Fun Football Schools (+93 one-day festivals)
0 children at Open Fun Football Schools (+113.900 at one-day festivals)