Migrant Lives Matter: NCCI – Youth Futsal on International Migrants Day

Migration is a major phenomenon in the history of the world. People keep migrating for different reasons. Some find life in migrating, while for some it is a matter of survival. A large part of migration in today’s context however is forced on people and this needs to be addressed.

Concerns and issues relating to migration have been addressed though not adequately enough. The Youth Concerns program and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), taking cue from the mandate of the XXVIII Quadrennial Assembly of the NCCI have been working on this for close to four years.

In line with this mandate, a “Futsal Tournament” was planned so that concerns and issues endemic to migration can be highlighted among youth and students. The Futsal tournament kicks started on 18^th December, 2019 on International Migrants Day. NCCI in collaboration with Maharashtra Council of Churches Nagpur Zone organized the tournament at Chandra Devi Saraf School, Nagpur. Eight teams, representing the Nagpur Mizo Union, North East Christian Fellowship, All Saints Cathedral, New Life Charitable Trust, Sports Ministry, SFS Parish, Martin Nagar Parish, Pinnacle Worshippers and Hislop College participated in the Futsal Tournament. Nagpur Mizo Union and Hislop College were the two teams who played the final match. Nagpur Mizo Union won the match and Hislop College were the runners up.

The Futsal Tournament brought a good tiding of sportsmanship and union among the Christian Youth in Nagpur. It also worked as a platform to impress upon the youth the issue of migration and the need for them to be hospitable to migrants amidst whom they live.