Football like all sport should be a force for good, but too often we hear of human rights being overlooked within and around the game.
On the eve of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, we presented Sidelines - a weekend of films, thought-provoking Q&As and lively panel discussions all with a football and human rights theme at the Hackney Picturehouse in London.
Film directors, former footballers (including Eric Cantona), leading sports journalists and researchers joined us to tackle everything from diversity and race, to the responsibility of sporting organisations to address human rights abuses in host countries.
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Mark O'Brien
Eric Cantona and his brother Jean-Marie Cantona - who together form the ‘Canto Bros’ production company behind the film - talk with Naomi Westland from Amnesty International.
Eric Cantona and his brother Jean-Marie Cantona - who together form the ‘Canto Bros’ production company behind the film - talk with Naomi Westland from Amnesty International.
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Mark O'Brien
The audience at the Hackney Picturehouse in London.
The audience at the Hackney Picturehouse in London.
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Mark O'Brien
Festival speakers, panel members and Amnesty staff meeting guests at the VIP reception.
Festival speakers, panel members and Amnesty staff meeting guests at the VIP reception.
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Ken Kamara
Eric Cantona and Mahmoud Sarsak, a Palestinian footballer who spent three years in an Israeli jail without charge or trial. Read Mahmoud's story.
Eric Cantona and Mahmoud Sarsak, a Palestinian footballer who spent three years in an Israeli jail without charge or trial. Read Mahmoud's story.
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Ken Kamara
Eric Cantona with Amnesty staff at the reception (L-R: Tom Davies, Champa Patel, Naomi Westland, Kerry Moscoguiri and Kehinde Brown).
Eric Cantona with Amnesty staff at the reception (L-R: Tom Davies, Champa Patel, Naomi Westland, Kerry Moscoguiri and Kehinde Brown).
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Ken Kamara
Niall Couper, Head of Media at Amnesty UK, speaks at the VIP reception.
Niall Couper, Head of Media at Amnesty UK, speaks at the VIP reception.
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Ken Kamara
Zainab Asunramu and Rose Burke from Amnesty at the VIP reception.
Zainab Asunramu and Rose Burke from Amnesty at the VIP reception.
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Ken Kamara
Global sporting events like the World Cup provide an opportunity to raise awareness of human rights abuses either in the host country, in the countries taking part or by the event's sponsors.
Global sporting events like the World Cup provide an opportunity to raise awareness of human rights abuses either in the host country, in the countries taking part or by the event's sponsors.
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Ken Kamara
Dave Rose from the Football Supporters Federation and Danny Lynch from the FA.
Dave Rose from the Football Supporters Federation and Danny Lynch from the FA.
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Ken Kamara
Nirit Pelad, director of the documentary Super Jews, which screened at the festival, and Tim Rogerson, Picturehouse programmer.
Nirit Pelad, director of the documentary Super Jews, which screened at the festival, and Tim Rogerson, Picturehouse programmer.
Football like all sport should be a force for good, but too often we hear of human rights being overlooked within and around the game.
On the eve of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, we presented Sidelines - a weekend of films, thought-provoking Q&As and lively panel discussions all with a football and human rights theme at the Hackney Picturehouse in London.
Film directors, former footballers (including Eric Cantona), leading sports journalists and researchers joined us to tackle everything from diversity and race, to the responsibility of sporting organisations to address human rights abuses in host countries.