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Watch the video explaining the award and introducing the finalists
Soccer Without Borders was named today as the winner of the 2016 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize. Chosen from more than 170 applicants around the globe, Soccer Without Borders will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, as well as executive training and support from Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. Honorees Namati and Hope Enterprise Corporation will receive $50,000 each, up from $12,500 in previous years.
“Lost in the often heated, divisive debate surrounding immigrants and refugees, are thousands of kids who are doing all they can to make new friends and a new home.” says Umi Howard, director of the Lipman Family Prize. “Soccer Without Borders understands the challenges these newcomers are facing, and they are nimble enough to adapt their core programming as needed to address various cultural and geographic contexts. They have resisted the temptation to grow too quickly, leaving them poised for significant future impact. We are honored to support them in accelerating their vision.”
According to prize founder Barry Lipman, “Our goal is to identify and promote game-changing ideas that solve social problems. Soccer Without Borders, Namati and Hope Enterprise Corporation rose to the top because of their innovative approaches and their potential for social impact. We are honored that we can support the important work of these social change agents.”
We are proud to represent not only the work of Soccer Without Borders programs over the last ten years, but also to shine a spotlight on the urgent need for solutions to address the global refugee crisis, to build bridges across cultural divides, and to support displaced children and families to find home again.
