Collaboration Protocol with Shakhtar Donetsk

The Benfica Foundation, in the wake of its largest-ever humanitarian campaign, has further strengthened the ties it already had with Shakhtar Donetsk, articulating with the Ukrainian club and its Shakhtar Social Foundation, the final phase of its campaign in terms of distribution in Ukraine of the essential goods raised and transported in six 25-ton trucks.

It is in this context that, in addition to both Foundations being active members of the EFDN - European Football for Development Network and partners in common projects, they intend to strengthen their ties and establish a specific collaboration protocol that foresees: experience and know-how sharing; the integration of a representative from the Benfica Foundation in Expert Council of Shakhtar Donetsk's social development program "Play at Home" which will support 100 projects, involving children in particular; the hosting of young Ukrainians flagged by Shakhtar Social to participate in weeks of summer camps and access to football sessions, to provide a positive experience that takes them away from the war context for a period of time; the possibility, if necessary, of supporting the conservation of part of Shakhtar Donetsk's collection through cooperation with Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Cultural Heritage team; among other collaboration possibilities to be defined between the parties. 

This protocol consolidates, therefore, the strategic position taken by the Benfica Foundation of supporting the Ukrainian people in the first days when it was possible to verify the dimension of the humanitarian catastrophe that was beginning to take shape and which, unfortunately, has progressively posed new and demanding challenges on a global level.