Dima’s story: how football is helping refugees to build new lives
Friday, October 24, 2025
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To mark the 2025 UEFA Unity EURO Cup in the Netherlands, we talk to Dima from Palestine, team manager of the Maltese team and the perfect advocate for football’s power to create a sense of belonging out of isolation.
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As a Palestinian who arrived in Malta in her mid-teens, Dima understands the emotional challenges of trying to fit into new cultures and communities. It’s why she never tires of witnessing the power of football to connect people and create friendships.
"Sometimes it’s through a smile from a child, in other moments, it’s when a young player understands the importance of inclusion. Those small moments remind me why I love what I do," says Dima, who combines her studies at the University at Malta with a part-time position on the social responsibility team at the Malta Football Association (MFA).
"I love seeing how football can truly change lives."
More than just a game
Although she has never played the game, from afar, Dima had always admired football's capacity to conjure a sense of belonging out of isolation. Today, sport’s potential to unite people lies at the heart of her role as a coordinator for MFA social responsibility projects.
"It’s amazing to see how football becomes more than just a game — it becomes a space where people grow, connect and build understanding," says the 21-year-old, singling out an MFA project called Scale that uses football to boost confidence and develop new skills. "I feel proud knowing that our work, no matter how small it may seem, helps bring people together."
Living proof
As Malta’s team manager for the 2025 EURO Unity Cup in the Netherlands, Dima points to a recent team photo of the island’s representatives as evidence of how football transforms lives. "Each of us come from different backgrounds and cultures," she says, "Football has united us all. That is the true beauty of the game: it breaks down barriers, creates friendships, and brings people together through one shared passion."
While this will be her first appearance at the only pan-European tournament where teams are composed of refugees and members of their host communities, the Unity Cup has already played an important role in her own integration.
"Before the 2023 edition, football social responsibility manager Peter Busuttil was looking for a female player to join the Maltese team," she recalls, "Some mutual friends referred me to him, and even though I had nothing to do with football at the time, Peter still believed in me and gave me the opportunity to become part of the social responsibility team."
Inspiration
Dima, who plans to graduate and take a masters in human rights and migration, hopes that her backstory as a refugee fully integrated into Maltese society can inspire people leading isolated lives and striving to fit into new communities, whether they are refugees or locals.
"Malta welcomed me with open arms – as we say, 'Malta ħanina,' meaning 'kind-hearted Malta'," she says. "I grew up here, and the person I have become is thanks to the experiences and opportunities this country has given me.
"Of course, everyone faces their own struggles, but what matters most is how we choose to face them," she says. "There are so many opportunities available for those who are determined and willing to work hard. Challenges are part of the journey, but with perseverance, anything is possible."
The Unity EURO Cup
The Unity EURO Cup is more than just a football tournament – it's a celebration of our sport's power to unite communities, regardless of background.
Organised by UEFA in collaboration with our partners UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), teams made up of refugees and players from their host communities compete in a mixed-gender event that puts the floodlights on sport’s vital role in facilitating social inclusion.
Find out more HERE.