Neighbourhood basketball with asylum seekers in Vienna
In the current refugee situation , basketball has proven to be a good means for promoting immediate understanding between people. Whether in Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan, basketball is a global sport that people who have fled from regions affected by war and crises also know and like. All that counts on the court is the love of the sport and the fun of the game - language barriers are easily overcome while playing. In basketball, team play is the most important thing, and this can quickly and positively be experienced collectively by people of different cultures. This has been confirmed by our initiative "Nachbarschaft Bewegt Asylsuchende" (NBA – Community moves asylum seekers or “Neighborhood Basketball with Asylum seekers”).
The sports club WAT 3, in Vienna, Austria, was founded in 1919 and has included a basketball section since 1949. The basketballers, called CAPRICORNS, have 15 youth teams with over 200 players. Their families hail from more than 20 different countries. Integration across all groups of society is our concern. In addition to exercise and providing a balance to everyday life, basketball contributes significantly to personal development through the shared experiences of winning and losing, as well as the practice of fair play. Basketball offers both easy and complex sequences of movement, as well as more refined plays as part of a dynamic team sport. The acquired physical awareness improves self-confidence and also gives strength in everyday life.
Within sight of the home of our club is the fully occupied temporary accommodation for asylum seekers in Erdberg. People in need are waiting here to fulfill their hopes and get the chance of a new beginning in Austria. They are preoccupied by uncertainty and, even worse, while waiting for their application for asylum to be processed they are condemned to idleness day after day.
Because of this, the CAPRICORNS launched the “NBA in Vienna” initiative. NBA stands for “Nachbarschaft Bewegt Asylsuchende” (“Neighbourhood Basketball with Asylum-seekers”). Every Tuesday and Thursday morning during the summer holidays –from July to the beginning of September – young asylum seekers were invited to play on our outdoor court with our young players under the supervision of our qualified trainers.
Of course, we realise we cannot win their match. We ourselves cannot offer safe prospects to asylum seekers. As a basketball club, we can only make a small contribution – setting an example for humanity and an outreach put into practice that builds trust. There are many examples of Austrian people welcoming refugees.
Finding solutions for refugees and against the causes of their flight is the task of international politics. We want our action to be a symbol against investments in defensive measures to lock refugees out, and for investments in building constructive relations and understanding between people - both at the refugees’ destinations and in their countries of origin.
For further details please contact: [email protected]
[This article has been edited by the Operating Team]
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