Circle In: Hand in hand empowering Palestinian children through sport

Ramallah, Palestine, 17 June 2026: Thousands of vulnerable Palestinian children are set to benefit from an innovative sport-for-social-good program delivered by Palestine: Sports for Life under the Circle In initiative, co-funded by Qatar Foundation, Education Above All Foundation, and the International Olympic Committee.

Circle In harnesses the power of sport to create safe, inclusive spaces that support learning, healing, and personal growth. The first phase of Circle In Palestine will reach 1,250 children across schools and communities in the West Bank and Gaza, with a focus on girls, children with disabilities, refugees, and displaced children. Through sport and play, participants will develop essential life skills and strengthen their psychosocial wellbeing, with the program set to expand to more communities in Palestine.

Circle In aims to build more equitable, inclusive, and educated communities across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region through sport and values-based education. The initiative currently supports sport-for-development projects in 10 countries, aligning with the International Olympic Committee’s mission to build a better world through sport and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

With UNICEF reporting that conflict has severely reduced access to education and safe play for hundreds of thousands of children in Palestine, Circle In Palestine is working closely with Palestine’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and local community organizations, Together, they aim to provide sport- and play-based opportunities that are vital for children’s mental health, emotional resilience, and ability to build social connections in crisis settings.

Every child deserves – not just needs – the opportunity to learn, play, and thrive, regardless of their circumstances
— Alanoud Al Mesnad, Executive Director, Women’s and Girls’ Sports, QF

Circle In reflects the shared belief of its partners, and the communities it serves, that children must have access to safe, supportive spaces that bring hope, create routine, and build trust and connection through sport and play. Bringing together children, teachers, families, and community members, Circle In symbolizes inclusion, protection, and responsibility for the wellbeing and the future of our children.

“The launch of Circle In Palestine marks the moment this initiative moves from vision to genuine impact, as a long-term, sustainable commitment to children, educators, and societies. It is working hand-in-hand with Palestinian children, teachers, trainers, and their communities as active participants in shaping the opportunities and activities that bring the greatest benefit to them – recognizing their strength and dignity in the most challenging, harrowing circumstances.

“No investment is more meaningful than an investment in children and young people. This belief is at the core of Qatar Foundation, and Circle In – in Palestine, and beyond – epitomizes how we and our partners are committed to channeling that belief into true social impact that touches the lives of a generation to whom we have a collective duty.”

Tamara Awartani, Director, Palestine: Sports for Life, said: “We at Palestine: Sports for Life are deeply honored to be part of the ‘Circle In Palestine’ project and sincerely thank Qatar Foundation, Education Above All Foundation, and the International Olympic Committee for this important initiative.

At a time when Palestinian children urgently need safe and supportive spaces, this project offers far more than sports – it provides opportunities for learning, healing, inclusion, and hope. Through sport and purposeful play, children can strengthen their mental wellbeing, build resilience, and experience a sense of belonging in safe and inclusive environments. We are proud to contribute to making this vision a reality for Palestinian children.

Circle In Palestine’s sport-based after-school activities have now begun, with 15 teachers and community-based trainers in the West Bank, and 10 in Gaza, having been equipped with the skills to conduct inclusive, psychosocially supportive programming for the 1,250 children from 25 schools who are directly benefiting from the first stage of the project. This represents the first step in building a qualified pool of facilitators for Circle In Palestine, the reach of which will extend further as the project continues.

With its name taken from the sporting tradition of teams showing unity and purpose by coming together in a huddle, Circle In seeks to provide accessible, safe, gender-inclusive, and sustainable community sports programs, along with capacity-building pathways, in the countries where it operates.

Circle In will benefit up to 50,000 children and young people, while training up to 5,000 coaches, teachers, and instructors to play their part in nurturing equality, inclusion, and education through sport. The project will reach additional beneficiaries through digital resources to help them create locally designed sport-based solutions to their social challenges.