Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with its partners, has concluded a week-long football tournament in Freetown aimed at promoting safe, regular and dignified migration while raising awareness about the risks of irregular migration and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The tournament, titled “Goal for Safe and Regular Migration,” was organized last week as part of activities to commemorate International Migrants Day, according to IOM.
The initiative brought together community teams from across Freetown, using sports as a platform to engage young people and community members in discussions about migration-related challenges.
Through the matches and accompanying community outreach, IOM and its partners sought to highlight the dangers associated with irregular migration routes and the impact of GBV, while encouraging informed and safe migration choices.
After a series of competitive and well-attended matches, Portee Community emerged as the tournament champions, drawing strong support from local residents and stakeholders throughout the event.
IOM stated that the tournament demonstrated how sports can be used as a unifying tool to spark important conversations at the community level. The organization noted that football provided an effective way to reach diverse audiences and deliver life-saving messages in an inclusive and engaging manner.
According to IOM and its partners, the tournament reflects a shared commitment to standing for safe, regular and dignified migration for all, while reinforcing the role of community participation in addressing migration risks.
International Migrants Day is observed globally to recognize the contributions of migrants and to promote the protection of their rights. IOM said the Freetown tournament formed part of its broader efforts to support informed migration and strengthen community awareness through innovative outreach approaches.
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