Amman — Al-Wihdat, a football team based at Amman New Camp refugee camp in Jordan, retained their Jordan Cup crown for a second year in a 1-0 victory against Arabi Club of Irbid.
The team, who are all refugees, won the final of the 30th Jordan Cup at King Adbullah Stadium on Friday 28 May.
Al-Wihdat will now represent Jordan, along with Al-Faisaly, this year’s Jordan League champions, in the upcoming Asian Club Championship.
Historic achievements
Al-Wihdat sport club was founded in 1956. It was affiliated with UNRWA until 1986 and from that date it has functioned under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth.
The club is considered to be one of the strongest in Jordan and has a fierce competition with long-time local rivals Al-Faisaly.
Al-Wihdat has won the Jordanian League 11 times, the Jordan Cup eight times, the Union Shield seven times and the Jordan Super Cup nine times.
Unprecedented victories
“In 2009, we won all four titles that season, which was unprecedented. This has never happened in any Asian country,” said club president Tarek Khoury.
As well as football, the club offers several other sports, such as volleyball, basketball and table tennis.
Local community ties
Through its activities with various camp committees, the club serves the local community and enhances the relationship between it and other clubs. It works with the orphan youth committee, which provides support and assistance to about 100 orphans in the camp.
To raise awareness of the importance of education, Al-Wihdat, in cooperation with a relief agency, has opened a school online project, which offers enhancement courses for dropouts and students of different nationalities, such as Iraqis who missed some years of school. The courses prepare students to sit for the national exams held by the Ministry of Education.
Six visits to Palestine
Al-Wihdat will visit Palestine next month, in what will be the club’s sixth visit to play with Palestinian clubs. In the first visit in 1995, the team played in Hebron, Jericho, Jerusalem, Nablus, and Gaza. In the fifth visit in 2000, the club played a match with Al-Shujayeh club in Gaza in the qualification matches for the Asian Club Championship.
Text by Anwar A. Sakieneh
Document Type: Article
Document Sources: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
Subject: Education and culture, Refugee camps, Refugees and displaced persons
Publication Date: 11/06/2010