Chelsea FC players Charly Musonda, Eden Hazard, and Ross Barkley participate in the team's initiative against antisemitism, January 2018. (photo credit: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB)
Chelsea Football Club announced Tuesday that it will launch a new campaign to raise awareness among players, staff, fans and the wider community about antisemitism in football.
The London-based club will officially kick off the initiative on January 31 at its Premier League game against Bournemouth, with an apparently high profile activity that has yet to be announced.
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The initiative will be run as part of the Chelsea Foundation’s Building Bridges campaign, which strives to promote equality and celebrate diversity.
"Everybody at Chelsea is proud to be part of a diverse club," Chelsea FC said in a statement. "Our players, staff, fans and visitors to the club come from a wide range of backgrounds, including the Jewish community, and we want to ensure everyone feels safe, valued and included."
The club with work together with the Holocaust Educational Trust, the Jewish Museum, the Community Security Trust, Kick It Out, the World Jewish Congress and the Anne Frank House on the campaign.
The campaign will include a focus on Jewish faith and culture in equality and diversity workshops run in primary schools and an education program for supporters banned from the club for antisemitic behavior to help them to understand the impact of their actions. Participation in the course could result in a reduction in the length of their ban.
Chelsea fans have frequently been been accused of employing antisemitic songs, chants and gestures.
Additional activities set to take place throughout the year will also include educational visits to former concentration camps for staff, fans and stewards, an exhibition at the Chelsea Museum on football and British Jews and screenings of Liga Terezin - a documentary about a football league run from a concentration camp during the Holocaust.
The club has also invited Holocaust survivor Harry Spiro to Chelsea to share his and his family’s story.
The campaign's steering committee, led by Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck, included prominent Jewish leaders such as President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, Vice-chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations Malcolm Hoenlein and National Director and CEO of the Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt.
"The World Jewish Congress deeply appreciates the comprehensive efforts being made by Chelsea Football Club to raise awareness of the dangerous manifestations of antisemitism and racism in sport," the World Jewish Congress said. "The value of one of the most prominent sports clubs in the world vigorously leading the charge in addressing this crucial issue cannot be overstated."
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, who is also a member of the steering committee said: "Sadly antisemitism remains a serious issue in our society. Every effort made to fight it should be applauded and welcomed, and we are delighted and proud to be working with Chelsea Football Club to ‘say no to antisemitism’. Hearing from a survivor, learning about the Holocaust, and understanding what language constitutes hate speech, all contribute to a better understanding and greater awareness of what antisemitism is and how to combat it. Through this initiative Chelsea are making a real commitment in fighting this issue within the game and the wider community."