Soccer initiative unites nations to get ball rolling for festival

Diplomats recently gathered at the embassy of the Argentine Republic in Beijing to launch the second edition of the LAC UNITED soccer initiative, which brings together representatives from 15 Latin American and Caribbean embassies in China. The event marked the official presentation of the team's upcoming participation in the Chu Culture Festival, to be held in Jingzhou, Hubei province, later this month.

LAC UNITED, formed by diplomats from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Jamaica, Ecuador, Bolivia, Dominica, and other countries of the region, will play a friendly match against a local team on Sept 21. The game will highlight soccer's role as a universal language of cooperation and friendship, while also celebrating Jingzhou's rich cultural and historical heritage.

This year's match will take place within the framework of the second edition of the Chu Culture Festival, one of the most prominent cultural events in Central China. The festival, which attracts large audiences in person and online, will serve as a stage for Latin American and Caribbean nations to share the values of teamwork, discipline, and passion through sport while engaging with the traditions of Jingzhou.

The initiative follows the team's debut last year in Guizhou's Rongjiang "Village Super League", an experience praised as a milestone in sports diplomacy. This year, the setting of Jingzhou provides a new stage for cultural exchange, with the match symbolizing the strengthening of bonds between China and Latin America through sport.

From Beijing, the participating embassies and the LAC UNITED team extend warm greetings to the organizers and the people of Jingzhou, expressing gratitude for the support received. With enthusiasm for the upcoming match, they underline that this initiative is not only about sport, but also about uniting cultures, friendship, and cooperation across continents.