Spanish football giants FC Barcelona and the UN refugee agency have launched a new fund-raising campaign aimed at bringing sports, education and life skills to refugee youngsters around the world.
The "Més que un Club" (More than a Club) campaign was developed by Nike, a major corporate partner of UNHCR and a sponsor of Barcelona.
Money raised through the sale of a special range of mainly clothing merchandise will be used to help refugees under UNHCR's ninemillion.org campaign.
Known as Més for short, the campaign plays on the fact that FC Barcelona (FCB) represents a lot more than sport. It is also an ambassador of the Catalonia region, a social and charitable organization, and a supporter of varied humanitarian causes and groups, including UNHCR.
"The social corporate responsibility of the club is something that involves all of us and I feel proud to see how FCB is positioned as a pioneer in supporting humanitarian causes," the Primera Liga club's chairman, Joan Laporta, said at the launch ceremony in Barcelona.
Laporta, Nike Vice-President Ben Hoyt and UNHCR Senior Corporate Relations Officer Olivier Delarue then started the donation ball rolling by dropping coins into a collection box in exchange for a metal Més pin badge, one of the campaign products on offer.