FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.08.2008 11:37

Humanitarian commitment in ‘The New York Times’

David Saura (Special correspondent)

Leading US paper ‘The New York Times’ has featured FC Barcelona’s humanitarian commitment in its pages in the context of the Malaria No More charity project.

The article, by Jack Bell and published in both the paper and online versions of the paper , looked at the partnership between FC Barcelona and Malaria No More. “Barcelona’s partnership with Malaria No More is the latest humanitarian effort by Barcelona, which from 2006 to 2011 will forgo a potential $20 million from jersey sponsorship by putting UNICEF on the front of its shirts,” writes Bell.

Playing with the stars

The article sets out how a young soccer fan from Venice Beach (California), with Argentinean roots, is set to travel to New York to play in the four-on-four with Barça players at Chelsea Waterside Field in Manhattan.

At the event 18-year-old Eli Pearl will be able to play with his Barça heroes and children from the AYSO, an organisation which develops the skills of children and teenagers aged 4 to 19 though playing football in a family atmosphere based on respect and sporting spirit.

Donation of $2,150

Eli Pearl will be taking part after his mother made the winning bid on an eBay auction when she offered $2,150 for a place at the event. The cash will go to the joint campaign announced by FC Barcelona and Malaria No More to coincide with the club’s US On Tour 2008. According to the ‘Times’ article, Lynn Hirshfield, Eli’s mother, said this prize was “fulfilling a dream of a lifetime for my kid”. “I bid because I believe in the cause,” she added. Malaria is the number one killer of African children aged under five.

The Barça players will be taking part in a free event open to the public in New York as part of their visit to the Big Apple where they play the second and final match of their US tour against the New York Red Bulls from the MLS.