Spanish giants Real Madrid have announced they will make a one million euros ($1.11 million) donation to aid the refugees fleeing war-torn Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of people have risked their lives to migrate to other countries in Europe, at least 2,500 have died in the process with pressure now being ramped up on governments to provide greater relief to those in need.
German champions Bayern Munich announced on Thursday they have donated one million euros to help people pouring into Germany and Madrid have now pledged the same amount to aid refugees in Spain.
“Real Madrid has announced that it will donate 1 million euros to aid refugees that are taken in by Spain,” a Real Madrid statement said on Friday.
“The president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, spoke by phone with the president of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy. The pair talked about this contribution and other measures that the club will put in place in order to collaborate with the care of refugees that arrive in Spain,” the statement said.
Madrid is planning to club various initiatives and schemes with special focus on the youngest refugees.
“Among these measures, the club is considering various initiatives and schemes with a special focus placed on the youngest refugees. It will also make some of the club’s infrastructure and sports goods available to the executive’s inter-ministerial commission that organises the system for receiving refugees,” the club statement said.
FC Bayern Munich will support refugees coming to Germany by way of a one million euro ($1.1 million) donation and holding a special training camp, Bavarian club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announced on Thursday.
“We at FC Bayern consider it our socio-political responsibility to help displaced and needy children, women and men, supporting and assisting them in Germany,” Rummenigge said.
Bayern has plans to organise a training camp for young refugees in the coming weeks, in addition to providing suitable meals and football kits.
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter and Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann welcomed the initiative of Bayern, describing it as an “exemplary” one.
At the club’s next match against FC Augsburg on September 12, the players will be escorted onto the Allianz Arena pitch hand-in-hand with a German child and a refugee child as a mark of support for the integration of refugees, according to Bayern statement.