Football match brings London consulate closer to Portuguese community

Staff at the Consulate General in London and members of Portuguese associations compete on Sunday for the first “Community Cup” to improve relations and raise donations for victims of domestic violence.

The challenge was initiated by Consul General Luis Leandro da Silva and accepted by the advisory board of the London consular district, which includes representatives of the main Portuguese associations.

The official told Lusa that it was a form of “sports diplomacy” using the “passion” for the sport, which is popular in Portugal and the UK.

“The purpose of this friendly game is to convey in an innovative way the spirit of the ever closer cooperation between the Consulate General in London and the association movement for the benefit of our vast community. The game is a symbol of this,” the diplomat said. to the Luz agency.

The consulate team, reinforced by embassy staff and some staff from the diplomatic mission, will face the selection of representatives of various Portuguese associations.

The game will take place in a park in London, followed by a trophy ceremony for the winner and runner-up by Lambeth Mayor Sarbaz Barzni, followed by lunch.

Leandro da Silva hopes that this is more than a victory, that the result will “strengthen the ties and collaboration between the consulate and the associations and strengthen the spirit of unity in our community.”

“The consulate exists to serve the society, and therefore our relations must be very close,” he stressed.

The diplomat intends to continue the “Community Cup” in the coming years and link it to the celebration of June 10, Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Community Day, potentially extending it to other organizations in the form of a tournament.

At the same time, donations are being collected for solidarity purposes, which in this first edition will be given to Respeito, an organization that supports victims and works to combat domestic violence in the Portuguese-speaking community.