Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich motivated to tackle anti-semitism
According to the club’s official site, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen to tackle anti-semitism.
The Russian oligarch is keen to make the club as an institution that is welcoming to everyone from all walks of life. The report comes just as the club are launching a new chapter in their ‘Say No To Anti-Semitism’ campaign.
“It has always been important to me to create a club that is welcoming to everyone.”
Chelsea will mark Holocaust Memorial Day before kick-off in our Premier League clash with Wolves at Stamford Bridge tonight.
The Blues will highlight the stories of 20 sportsmen and women, 17 of them from Jewish heritage, who succumbed to the Nazi purge. (h/t Chelsea FC)
“Chelsea can play a leading role in this vital work and demonstrate that we truly are a club open to all.”
These athletes form a part of the ‘49 Flames’. It is a collective which refers to the number of Olympians who were known to have been killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
“This exhibition is the latest initiative within our Say No to Antisemitism campaign and tells the story of the Holocaust through the eyes of Jewish athletes from all over the world.”
Never forget
This matchday program follows a year on from the unveiling of a large mural at Stamford Bridge. It depicts two Jewish footballers and a British prisoner of war, who were imprisoned in Nazi death camps.
It also showcases the ‘49 Flames – Jewish Athletes and the Holocaust’ virtual exhibition that was launched last year. (h/t Chelsea FC)
Abramovich commissioned British Israeli street artist Solomon Souza to create the bespoke portraits which feature throughout the ’49 Flames’ campaign.
The Chelsea owner took the time to personally highlight the campaign
“When I first came to Chelsea, I had two ambitions: to create world-class teams on the pitch; and to ensure the club plays a positive role in all of its communities, using football as a vehicle to inspire and engage people around the issues that matter.”
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The terrors of the Holocaust is a blight on history that still remains alive to this day. While we cannot undo the horrors of the past, it remains a life lesson for the present.
For now, we honour those who lost their lives during one of the darkest periods in human history.