“Fußball trifft Kultur” turns 15 years old

Two weeks ago, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of “Fußball trifft Kultur” together with our friends and supporters.
We are taking this as an opportunity to look back on the success story in a short flashback.

Together, more than 250 of our teachers and coaches have been able to support over 3,600 children on their educational journey.
The special thing about “Fußball trifft Kultur” was its socially sustainable focus from the very beginning: firstly, our program participants take part in the program for two years.
Over this period, the children receive over 17,000 minutes of support through our triad of language, soccer and culture.
Secondly, the program does not provide selective impulses, but supports the children in the groundbreaking two years before and after the transition from primary to secondary school.

Although “Fußball trifft Kultur” has already been running for 15 years and has always served a great need, the program has never been as relevant as it is today in the wake of the continuous and increasing educational shortcomings in Germany – “Fußball trifft Kultur” makes a targeted contribution to compensating for the everyday building blocks of children and young people that have been significantly lost or neglected even during the pandemic.
The holistic approach to school improvement, exercise and social interaction offers children a toolbox for their further personal development.

The overarching goal of “Fußball trifft Kultur” will always remain to make an important post for more educational equality and equal opportunities in Germany.
Many thanks to all our partners who support us on this journey!

"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2007
The first "Fußball trifft Kultur" project starts in Frankfurt.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2008
A second project is opened in Berlin.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2009
The first final tournament is held.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2010
The fourth FtK location opens in Stuttgart.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2011
The first girls' group starts at the Women's World Cup in Frankfurt.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2012
The Bundesliga Foundation (today: DFL Foundation) becomes a nationwide partner.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2013
Manuel Neuer and Dirk Nowitzki play in favor of FtK.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2014
In cooperation with the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation and the Manuel Neuer Kids Foundation, locations are opening in Würzburg and Gelsenkirchen.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2015
"Fußball trifft Kultur" receives the PHINEO seal of approval.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2016
Charity match at the final tournament in aid of refugees.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2017
We are celebrating 10 years of "Fußball trifft Kultur".
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2018
The first FtK location in eastern Germany opens in Dresden.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2019
The program participants create the mascot "Litti".
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2020
The FtK-EuropaChallenge will take place for the first time at EURO 2020.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2021
Ridle Baku becomes a nationwide ambassador.
"Fußball trifft Kultur" wird 15 Jahre alt
2022
The FtK-ClubChallenge is organized together with 22 partner clubs.

© Header: DFL Foundation / Guido Kirchner; 2010: Thorsten Wagner; 2012: Andreas Schröder; 2013: Nadine Rupp; 2015: DFL Foundation; 2018, 2019: DFL Foundation / Guido Kirchner; 2020: DFL Foundation / Thorsten Wagner; 2014, 2021, 2022: LitCam / Witters / Jörg Halisch

European U21 champion new ambassador for “Fußball trifft Kultur”

Initiated by LitCam gGmbH in 2007 and funded by the DFL Foundation since 2012, the integrative education program aims to use enthusiasm for soccer as a learning motivation to give children from disadvantaged neighborhoods access to language and culture.
At 20 locations across Germany, 32 program groups with children in grades 3 to 6 are supported in cooperation with local professional football clubs.
Participants receive 45 minutes of soccer training and 45 minutes of remedial lessons twice a week for at least one school year, usually with a focus on language development.
In addition, cultural events encourage a change of perspective.

Ridle Baku is delighted to be able to actively support this approach in the future as a nationwide ambassador for “Fußball trifft Kultur”:

“I want to help children who might have a harder time. When Karin Plötz from “Fußball trifft Kultur” approached me with the idea of supporting the program as an ambassador, I was immediately enthusiastic.
Combining the social power of soccer with remedial teaching – I think that’s great.
I would like to help as much as I can.”

In his role as ambassador for the program, Ridle Baku will act in particular as a role model for the children.
He will also be involved in shaping the content of the program.
As soon as the current Corona rules allow, he would like to support the program groups in the schools and the big “Fußball trifft Kultur” final tournament on site.
It is particularly important to him to promote soccer as a unifying, integrative element:

“Football has a unifying power. When you go out onto the pitch, it doesn’t matter where you come from. All that matters is the common goal. You have to learn to integrate into a group and deal with defeat. I think you learn a lot of social skills in team sports that also help you a lot off the pitch.”

To the interview with Ridle Baku

Copyright photo: Adidas

“Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur”: 30 new program groups

With 30 new program groups, LitCam is further expanding its commitment within the integrative educational program “Fußball trifft Kultur”.
Funded by the “Löwenstark – Der BildungsKICK” initiative of the Hessian Ministry of Culture, “Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur” will be offered at 30 Frankfurt schools in the 2021/2022 school year.

The first program groups will start today, Monday, 13.09.
The program is set to begin at all 30 participating schools by the autumn vacations.
“Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur” is based on a concept that has been tried and tested in the nationwide “Fußball trifft Kultur” program.
Pupils in grades three to six receive one half of soccer training and one half of skills training twice a week, in which language and social skills in particular are taught.

The nationwide “Fußball trifft Kultur” program is offered together with local sponsors and, since 2012, with the DFL Foundation as a nationwide partner at 34 project locations in 22 German cities, including five locations in Frankfurt am Main so far.
The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs act as cooperation partners in the respective cities and provide the coaches for the “Fußball trifft Kultur” soccer training sessions.
For the 30 new program groups in Frankfurt, this concept will be slightly modified for “Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur”.
The soccer training will be carried out by sports students and licensed soccer coaches.
This will enable around 700 more children to benefit from the program in the coming school year.

Karin Plötz, Director of LitCam gGmbH, welcomes the expansion of the support in the Frankfurt city area: “We are delighted to be able to provide access to additional educational opportunities for children in need of support with “Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur”, who have faced particular challenges during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Löwenstark – Fußball trifft Kultur” not only offers the children support at school, but also creates additional language opportunities, a sense of achievement and motivation to learn through the special combination of soccer, language and culture.
We would like to thank the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs for the opportunity to make our post to the “Löwenstark – Der BildungsKICK” support program.”

As part of the “Löwenstark – Der BildungsKICK” funding program, the Hessian state government is providing a total of 60 million euros for the program for 2021 from the state’s special funds to overcome the corona crisis. Minister of Education Prof. Dr. R. Alexander Lorz hopes that the funding program will help to counteract the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic: “Changes in school operations, cancelled classes, lack of exercise and lack of social contacts are huge challenges that we will tackle together with determination. In addition to tried-and-tested measures, we are also focusing on new and creative ideas to provide our pupils with the best possible support. With our “BildungsKICK” program, we want to strengthen skills, provide individual support, take advantage of opportunities and form partnerships.” As part of the program, the existing network with established and new extracurricular partners of the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs as well as socially committed actors will be expanded in addition to direct measures for the classroom. These include foundations, sports and cultural organizations as well as volunteer projects.

© LitCam / Witters / Jörg Halisch