Goya Foods as Presenting Sponsor of Philadelphia International Unity Cup

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

I am an avid soccer fan, and have been since my freshman year in college when I saw my African classmates playing it on the campus lawn.   And now the City of Philadelphia is hosting its own UNITY CUP - being partly sponsored by Goya Foods.

Lincoln University used to have one of the finest varsity championship soccer teams - primarily comprised of African and Caribbean students - with a handful of African American brothers as well.  We came in second place in the International World Cup. It's a tradition that needs to be reinstated at the school - which has a significant African student population.

But while that is getting under way, this is the next best thing.  For those of you who are avid soccer fans like myself, I know where you'll be this week end and for the next few weekends to come.  I'm looking forward to it.

Below is the press release received from the Mayor's office and the link to the Unity Cup Schedule.

Enjoy 

Stay Blessed

Gloria 

http://unitycup.phila.gov/schedule/

City Announces Goya Foods as Presenting Sponsor of PIUC  View this email in your browser

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA  DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION   City of Philadelphia Announces Goya Foods as Presenting Sponsor of Philadelphia International Unity Cup The City of Philadelphia announced that Goya Foods, America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Philadelphia International Unity Cup (PIUC) and will donate 5,000 pounds of food to the Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.   The Philadelphia International Unity Cup presented by Goya is one of Mayor Jim Kenney’s signature first-term initiatives, celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the City of Brotherly Love and capitalizing on the worldwide appeal of soccer. The PIUC kicked off on September 9 with the Mexico vs. Vietnam and Ireland vs. United States games at Ramp Playground in the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia. “I am thrilled to be working with Goya on our first ever Unity Cup,” said Mayor Kenney. “One of the main goals of this tournament is to bring together the many cultures that reside in Philadelphia.  Through this partnership, we will showcase the camaraderie, respect and cooperation for which the citizens of Philadelphia are known.” Some of the games taking place this weekend include Ukraine vs. Guatemala, Lithuania vs. Argentina and Honduras vs. Germany.  After the inaugural games, the tournament will continue every Saturday and Sunday until the championship game at Citizens Bank Park on November 5th.  The championship game will feature a festival-style tailgate party outside the ballpark and a parade of nations with all thirty-two teams before kickoff. “We’re proud to be a part of this year’s Unity Cup as presenting sponsor and to support Mayor Kenney’s efforts in celebrating the cultural diversity in Philadelphia through one common passion – soccer,” said Bob Unanue, President of Goya Foods.  “Soccer is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States, and we are excited to bring together both the awareness of the sport and our mission to promote the overall wellness of our consumers through our healthy product line and sports.” “We can’t wait to kick off the Unity Cup this weekend,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “The Unity Cup would not be possible without generous partners like Goya. I am very grateful for their sponsorship, which allows the Parks and Recreation department to engage people of all ages and cultural backgrounds in a citywide soccer tournament that will bring all our neighborhoods together.” With the support of Goya Foods, the PIUC become a meaningful experience for players and spectators across Philadelphia. The PIUC is being managed and organized by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Office of the City Representative, the Office of Arts & Culture and the Office of the Managing Director.  The full schedule can be found at, http://unitycup.phila.gov/schedule/.