Dialect 4 News
International Football3 Tournament Brings Together Four Countries to Mark the Conclusion of the DIALECT4 Pilot Implementation
Participants from Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Italy
On 24 June, the Rugby Village at Parco San Laise in Naples hosted the International Football3 Tournament, bringing together young participants from Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Italy to celebrate the conclusion of the pilot implementation phase of the DIALECT4 project.
The tournament represented the culmination of several months of educational activities delivered since January 2026, during which children aged 10 to 17 explored the Football3 methodology alongside media and digital literacy through non-formal education. Supported by trained youth mediators from the four participating countries, participants had the opportunity to apply the skills, values and competences developed throughout the project.
The First Half: Negotiating the Rules
One of the defining features of Football3 is that every match begins before kick-off. During the first half, players from both teams meet to discuss and agree on the rules that will guide the game.
For the tournament in Naples, participants introduced shared rules such as requiring at least three passes before attempting to score and encouraging both teams to applaud every goal, regardless of which team scored. This initial dialogue encouraged participants to negotiate, listen to one another and take collective responsibility for the match.
Figure 2 The List of Rules Agreed by the Players Before Kick-off
The Second Half: Playing the Game
Once the rules had been agreed, the matches began. Three games were played simultaneously, with teams demonstrating not only technical skills but also cooperation and respect for the principles they had established together.
Following several closely contested matches, Serbia and Hungary reached the final, while Italy and Greece competed for third place.
The final reflected the balanced level of all participating teams. Serbia scored the decisive goal during the closing moments of the match. As in every Football3 tournament, however, the final result also depended on the Fair Play evaluation conducted after the game.
The Third Half: Reflection and Fair Play
The third half represents the educational core of the Football3 methodology. After each match, players and mediators met to reflect on the game, discuss behaviours observed on the pitch and jointly evaluate respect for the agreed rules.
Following this collective reflection, Fair Play points were assigned and the Serbian team was confirmed as the overall winner of the tournament.
Figure 3 Participants Gather
Celebrating Participation
The medal ceremony reflected one of the central principles of Football3: recognising participation alongside performance. While the winning team was announced, every participant received a medal in recognition of their commitment and involvement throughout the tournament.
Before receiving their medals, the players walked through a “Human Tunnel” formed by mediators and participants from the other teams, who welcomed them with applause as a gesture of mutual respect and appreciation.
Figure 4 The Human Tunnel and Medal Ceremony
The day concluded with a collective activity around a giant DIALECT shirt, where participants wrote messages and reflections about their experience. The signed shirt will remain at the ActionAid Italy office in Naples as a reminder of the relationships built and the values shared throughout the pilot implementation.
The International Football3 Tournament represented an important milestone in the DIALECT4 project, demonstrating how the integration of Football3, media and digital literacy, and non-formal education can foster critical thinking, inclusion, cooperation and active participation among young people from different cultural backgrounds.
