What has been accomplished locally (supportive action + football gathering) is then shared locally, regionally and globally through the website www.futbolrural.org.ar and other forms of communication; reports in the media, postcards or e-mail exchange, talks via Skype, blogs, trips, etc. In that way, bonds are spontaneously being built among rural schools and communities of the entire world. Despite the physical distance between them, this is an excellent way to share experiences. A truly Global Gathering of Community Rural Football.
These Global Rural Community Football Gathering have been taking place since 2009, on the last Friday of October of each year. In 2012, it will be Friday October 26, a big celebration day for rural schools and communities in different parts of the world.

Supportive Action

Let us tell you about some supportive actions that have already been undertaken or that have been suggested to be potentially useful for different schools and communities:

At the School:

In the Community:

- To build a village square.
- To carve and paint a new sign for the entrance to the community and school.
- To get wool and organize a workshop to learn weaving.
- To build a clay oven or solar cooker.
- To think of and organize a campaign to avoid trash and sources of infection.
- To build fences to prevent animals from dirtying the perimeter where water is extracted. To investigate safe ways for water storage and purification.
- To create or improve community center systems or equipment.
- To ask authorities and social organizations for support to implement an effective program to avoid the spreading of disease.
- To request a farming company to help organize a workshop for the community on industrial accidents prevention.
- To promote a campaign for children’s access to secondary education.



Spirit and Guidelines


The idea of this gathering is to strengthen the sense of community. To facilitate the rapprochement between families and the rural schools of their children or relatives. To be able to build stronger bonds to form a truly educative community. The supportive actions are the most definite bond, and the football gathering is a symbol and a form of celebration.

The aim is that only children play football (boys and girls of school age). They would do it in an adequate and safe space chosen responsibly by the rural school or community. It is neither a tournament nor a championship; it is a gathering to celebrate the supportive action. The participation of adults will be exclusively focused on undertaking community actions and organizing the meeting to take place on October 26, 2012.



Recommendations

For this football gathering, schools could take into account the following proposals that aim to encourage children’s sportsmanship and cooperative spirit and to avoid problems:


- The spirit of the sport gathering shall be that every child finds his or her game, chooses his way and feels as originator and creator of participative soccer. The scores could be distributed in an innovative way: 1 point for participating, 2 points for a match won, 1 point for a match tied, 1 point for complying with the established rules, and 1 point for solidarity.
- The presence of a mediator, who will accompany the process of participation and reflection throughout the match, so that boys and girls may meet and have fun in a game that despite being a competition is also a cooperative one.
- The participation of adults must be exclusively focused on the community actions to be undertaken and on the gathering organization for Friday October 26, but not on the participation in the football gathering itself, since, as has been pointed out, that is the place and moment especially reserved for boys, girls and young people of school age.
- Finally, the objective is to offer kids a different way of competing, in which the most important thing is not winning but sharing a moment of fun and healthy celebration through this sport.


Terms and conditions

As you well know, every event done by schools and communities must guarantee the safety of all participants. In this regard, here are, some of the safety measures that we believe must be taken into account:

- That children play in a place suitable for sports that guarantees their safety and wellbeing;
- That adults prevent possible problems that may arise on the day of the match. For example, for the school representative to be present, checking the field before every match to make sure that there are no sharp elements that may hurt the children, having a first-aid kit and doctors available, and –if possible- an ambulance in case of any accident, etc;
- If the field is covered, they should make sure it is suitable for this specific purpose and comply with the safety rules required by the applicable law;
- Remember that it is generally adults rather than children who are responsible for disturbances or conflicts in sports events, and keep this in mind in order to prevent any problems that may arise (for instance, exercising the right of admission to the event and notifying the community authorities);
- When talking about football , goals are the main cause of very strong knocks and even of serious accidents. Special attention must be paid to that. Covering the goals with a material that cushions the impact is one of the best forms of prevention. If they are not like that yet, it may even be a potential objective for the supportive action;
- The ball has to be made of a material that allows children to play without putting their physical safety at risk. For this same reason, we recommend that children play with sneakers to minimize the possibilities of an injury. If there are children who do not have footwear, a previous campaign can be organized so that nobody in the community lacks their own pair of shoes;
- Bear in mind and obey all the laws and any regulations, for example: rules that indicate how to prevent and act in cases of fire; laws that list the specifications for the installations where the event will take place, especially regarding emergency and evacuation signs, rules about safety and hygiene, among others.

Tener presentes y cumplir con todas las leyes y demás regulaciones aplicables, por ejemplo las normas que indican cómo prevenir y actuar en casos de incendios; las leyes que enumeran las características que deben tener las instalaciones donde se lleve a cabo el evento, sobre todo respecto de la señalización de emergencia y evacuación, las normas referentes a la seguridad e higiene, entre otras.