The success of Soccerex over the last 12 years has expanded and developed the event, and subsequently enhanced its stature in the football industry. This position has enabled Soccerex to offer assistance & support to many football community projects, and Soccerex is privileged to have recently collaborated with Diambars, UNICEF and Leicester Celtic FC.

Diambars       Back to the top

Founded by Jimmy Adjovi-Boco, Saer Seck, Bernard Lama & Patrick Vieira, Diambars is a worldwide project that aims to turn children's passion for football into an educational driving force.

The association's ambition is to give concrete meaning to the motto "a healthy mind in a healthy body", by harmoniously combining sports and professional training within an ethical framework that aims to cultivate jointly effort, work and necessary discipline. In its pilot project in Senegal, the Diambars Institute provided a facility that could house, educate and train the young football players in the area.

Beyond the purely sporting dimension, the goal of the Diambars Institute is to encourage the overall development of its students by providing them with academic and professional training adapted to their level.

(from left, William Gallas, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira,
Michael Sylvestre, Jimmy Adjovi-Boco, Thierry Henry)

For the second year running Soccerex will be providing Diambars with an exhibition stand and provide a suitable platform for their expansion into South Africa. A second Diambars Football Academy should be operational in South Africa by 2010, before the next FIFA World Cup kicks off. 'Our goal has always been to expand the Diambars Football Academy across the globe and we decided South Africa would be our next step,' says Patrick Vieira. 'We want to build on the momentum behind the World Cup to promote the idea that football can be a great instrument to advance education and promote social and human development,' he added. Adidas, Cadbury and Air France are the main sponsors of DIAMBARS today, and they will be part of the project in South Africa. Soccerex, the world soccer convention, has been instrumental in the establishment of contacts with South African authorities and the football industry.

For more information, please contact Jean- Marc Adjovi-Boco: adjovi@diambars.org Find out more about Diambars at www.diambars.org

Soccerex are proud to be counted as partners & keen supporters of UNICEF. The global children's organisation announced it will showcase its Sport for Development program at Soccerex 2007, where it will seek to engage some 5,000 delegates on the development of children through sport.

Soccerex CEO, Duncan Revie, said: 'We see this partnership with UNICEF as a great opportunity for Soccerex to contribute towards a real legacy during our time in South Africa. Everyone knows the power of football to reach into the hearts and minds of young people, especially here in South Africa, and this partnership will not only facilitate that but will also offer direct encouragement to other companies looking for relevant opportunities for their own corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.'

Sport for Development - Building hope through play UNICEF has pledged its support to improve the conditions of 585 of the most vulnerable schools in South Africa, identified by the National Department of Education. These schools are often in crisis, desperately in need of action now to ensure that children have access a quality learning environment, equipment, infrastructure and spaces to play. Challenges to education include violence against girls, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, with youngsters increasingly vulnerable to the threat of HIV and AIDS.

'At UNICEF, we believe we can change children's perceptions of risk regarding HIV and AIDS, while helping to protect them from other 'high risk' behaviour patterns. We are confident we can mobilise a community's abilities to care and protect children through engagement in sport', said UNICEF South Africa Country Representative Macharia Kamau. Providing proper infrastructure and resources for children to play is essential to their development.'

By supporting children's development with opportunities for gender sensitive sports coaching, recreational facilities, sports infused life-skills programmes and community based sporting events that promote and increase awareness of child rights, UNICEF aims to build a legacy of child friendly schools and communities beyond 2010. In addition to exhibiting at the Soccerex convention, UNICEF will also be represented on the key 'Corporate Social Responsibility' (CSR) discussion panel by Mr. Kamau and other keynote speakers. A gala dinner, communication and fundraising strategy will form the basis for the UNICEF / Soccerex partnership.

For media information and to make a donation to sport for development please contact Justin Bradfield on +27(12)354 8249, email jbradfield@unicef.org or visit www.unicef.org/southafrica

Soccerex Park       Back to the top

Soccerex and the Gauteng Province Government are acutely aware of the social and corporate responsibilities of the football industry. With this in mind Soccerex set about 'breaking new ground' in the role of developing communities through football, and Duncan Revie's vision of a 'Legacy Park' was borne.

Soccerex are pleased to announce their partners in this project: local contractors Sport Talent Initiative (STI) and TigerTurf, world leading synthetic turf manufacturers, both appreciate the critically important aspect of working with the community leaders and a sustainable operation with community-based programmes.

STI, through their network, are geared to:
- Build and install top quality synthetic turf via TigerTurf
- Train ground staff to maintain the facility
- Train managers to function and operate a sustainable business
- Utilize the expertise of 180 degrees to co-ordinate and manage the CSR process for community programme inclusions via service providers within the STI network

The Soccerex Park in Moletsane, Soweto, will serve the community through managed and controlled utilization, events and programmes for children and youth during the day at no charge, and the sustainable Soccer5 league operation under lights in the evening.

Soccerex are excited at 'breaking new ground' and hope they might be the forerunners in encouraging more Corporate Businesses to get involved in such community based projects which will leave a legacy long after the World Cup has come and gone.
For more information, please contact Jock at STI: jockscc@iafrica.com or Will at Tiger Turf wa@tpsecialist.co.uk

Leicester Celtic FC       Back to the top

Soccerex are the proud shirt sponsors of Leicester Celtic Football Club.

Founded in 1967 and located in Rathfarnham, Ireland, Leicester Celtic AFC train players from an early age, from their under 7's team to the Seniors.

The club have a history of cultivating talented players, with former-Leicester Celtic players Damien Duff (Newcastle FC) and Richard Sadlier (Millwall FC) representing Ireland on the international stage.

Soccerex would like to congratulate the team on their superb performance this season: having drawn only 2 matches, Leicester Celtic AFC finished the 2006-2007 season unbeaten and were rightfully crowned League champions. With their success capped off with a dramatic Cup Final win, having come from a half-time 2-0 deficit to win 3-2, Soccerex will look forward to another season of supporting double champions Leicester Celtic AFC.

Noel's House Party       Back to the top

On Friday 17th August 2007, Republic of Ireland Manager Steve Staunton, Liverpool Legend Phil Thompson and Duncan Revie, CEO of Soccerex and son of Leeds's United Football Legend Don Revie, launched a Charity Ball - 'Noel's House Party' at St. Michael's House, Belcamp.

Steve Staunton and Phil Thompson were also on-hand to present St Michael's house with the first installment of funds that have been already raised by Soccerex Director, James Worrall.

Funds raised from the Ball will be used to develop a community residential house to accommodate six young adults with an intellectual disability.

The 'Noel's House Party' Ball will be supported and hosted by the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London, on 5th June 2008.