In the heart of Beirut, the Shatila Palestinian camp is home to over 25,000 Palestinian and Syrian refugees in just over 1 km². Living conditions are extremely harsh: no access to clean drinking water, no sewage system, and only intermittent electricity. Homes are overcrowded, sunlight barely reaches between the buildings. Shatila is not a safe place to grow up.

In 2019, the “Sports for Peace” Multipurpose Center was established—a safe space where children and adolescents can engage in sports activities, grow together, and rediscover trust and hope.

In an environment marked by tension and violence, sport is much more than a pastime: it’s a form of resistance, a path to mental health, and a tool for building a better life.

Sport helps children and teenagers develop self-determination, recognize their own value, and face the social challenges around them with greater awareness.

Since then, Un Ponte Per has supported the Center’s activities and continues to ensure access to sports for many young people.

"In Shatila, practicing sports is almost impossible, everything is harder: electricity is often missing, the water is salty, humidity is everywhere, and sunlight barely reaches between the houses. We use sport to fight, too—to send a message: we have the same rights as all other people".

Majdi Majzoub, coordinator of the Sport Center and coach of the Palestinian Youth Club.

The Center promotes a wide range of activities, from sports to cultural events, and awareness campaigns on health and nutrition: recreational and athletic programs, women’s self-defense classes, cultural events, educational support activities, and medical visits.

It’s much more than a sports center—it’s an oasis of rights and self-determination for minors and adolescents forgotten by institutions.

With a donation, you too can help improve the physical and mental well-being of Palestinian children and youth in Shatila.