Our overall goal was to contribute to the successful integration of refugee children into European schools by harnessing the power of physical activity. First, we sought to enrich the training and strengthen the skills of teachers and sports coaches by providing them with practical and accessible tools. We co-created five innovative and tailored games based on the specific needs identified in schools and designed to help integrate refugee students into their classrooms. Second, we enabled these educators to use sport as a universal language, capable of overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers through inclusive practices and attitudes. This strengthened their ability to establish lasting cooperation between schools and local sports clubs. Finally, we wanted to directly support the children themselves by creating safe opportunities for refugees and local children to play, interact, and build trust together. This resulted in their participation in inclusive sports sessions, helping them develop a sense of belonging and peaceful coexistence.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of refugee children have sought refuge in Poland and Romania, arriving in highly vulnerable conditions. By mid-2022, UNHCR estimated that more than 800,000 Ukrainian children had enrolled in Polish schools, while Romania was hosting more than 50,000 refugee children at the beginning of 2023. This sudden influx has created unprecedented challenges for schools. Teachers and sports coaches were faced with a situation already weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and language barriers. Many felt ill-prepared to support the integration of refugee children and lacked appropriate teaching tools. In this context, sport emerged as a universal language capable of bringing children together, overcoming barriers, and strengthening social ties. The “Together Through Sport” project was therefore designed to meet two urgent needs: to provide teachers and coaches with practical tools to include refugee children through sport, and to offer refugee and local children shared play spaces that promote cooperation, respect, and mutual understanding.