FCBARCELONA.CAT

16.01.2009 13:25

Inaugurating the XICS centre in Morocco

Marc Parramón (enviat especial) / Anna Segura

FC Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has inaugurated the first International Network of Solidarity Centres (XICS) in Morroco, situated in Tangier. With this new place, the Barça Fundación increases its education net that now benefits 7,000 children.

The opening ceremony in the district of Beni Makada of Tangier created a great party as the people in the area showed their delight at the new centre that will help around 300 kids from the neighbourhood that are at risk of social exclusion or are in vulnerable situations.

Official unveiling

Laporta unveiled the plaque to mark the opening of the centre with the script on it written in both Arabic and Catalan and he was accompanied by vice-president Alfons Godall, corporative director general, Joan Oliver, the Fundación's director general, Marta Segú, and FCB Escola director, Julion Alberto.

Visiting the centre

During the visit the Barça party were able to see the 2,400m² XICS centre and speak to the children that will benefit from it. The space will have 380m² of rooms and 2,000m² of sports facilities.

"Very proud”

After the vist, Laporta spoke to the group of around 20 journalists that covered the event. “En Tangier Barça is known as a club of freedoms and this makes us feel very proud,” he explained. He then had a message to the children at the centre as he stated that “the success of the programme will be your success”

Cooperation between Morocco and Barça

“This programme constitutes the start of great cooperation between Barça and Morocco,” Laporta continued. “The new centre will develop civic values through the personal effort and teamwork of all the youngsters from the neighbourhood of Beni Makada.”

Party time

To complete the ceremony, the Barça dignitaries had aperitifs and enjoyed Moroccan tea and cakes. The Blaugrana members were joined by people from other companies involved such as the Fundación Iberostar, the Agència Catalana de Cooperació al Desenvolupament and the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, as well as a number of local implementing partners, as Zakoura.