Balabalabala – Europeada 2012 was launched in Berlin

In the presence of 100 guests the group draw of the football championship of the European minorities, the Europeada 2012, took place in the Representation of the Free State of Saxony in Berlin yesterday.

19 teams from all over Europe will try to beat the defending champion from South Tyrol. In 2008 the first championship of the European minorities took place at the Rhaeto-Romansh minority in Switzerland.

The championship is organised by FUEN, the umbrella organisation of the autochthonous, national minorities, and in 2012 it is jointly organised with Domowina, the Federation of Lusatian Sorbs.

Most of the participating teams had come to Berlin with their own representatives and under a lot of media attention they followed the group draw with excitement. The programme also included presentations about the Europeada of 2008 and 2012 and the premiere of the Europeada anthem “Bala Bala Bala” in the Sorbian language.

The draw was undertaken by football-legend Dixie Dörner and by the spouse of the prime-minister of the Free State of Saxony, Mrs. Veronika Tillich.

The hosting team of the Sorbs, as well as the four best-placed teams from the tournement in 2008 (the Sorbs, South Tyroleans, Croats from Serbia, Roma from Hungary and the Danish minority in Germany) were placed in five different groups. All the other teams were allotted to these groups.


Source: www.fuen.org