The third event of the Spring 2023 International Seminar Series, FIFA Football World Cups – Joy and context is now open for registration. It will be presented simultaneously in person in the Old Main Room of the Bone Student Center and online via Zoom. This event will take place on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from noon to 1 p.m. All events in this series are free and open to the public. RSVP is required for in-person attendance.
With the Men’s World Cup taking place last fall and the Women’s World Cup this summer, the spring semester provides an ideal opportunity to take an in-depth look at how these events shape the world stage. International sporting events bring fans together around the world around a shared passion and enthusiasm for players, teams and competitions. However, these events carry a dark connotation of corruption, gender inequality and violations of human and labor rights. This series aims to take an in-depth look at some of these topics and provide broader context on how these events impact issues beyond the world of sports.
The theme of this event in the series will be “The Joy of the Game: How Football Opens Doors in Our Community and Around the World.“This conference will be hosted by Dr Agbenyega Adedze, Mboka Mwilambwe, Rick Gardner and Rabah Seffal.
Dr Agbenyega Adedze is a professor in the Department of History specializing in African history. He is an active member of the Park Drag Soccer Club in Bloomington-Normal. His research interests focus on material culture as a source of history and recently organized a philatelic exhibit on “The Beautiful Game” in Bloomington-Normal at Illinois Wesleyan University to coincide with the World Cup of FIFA (2022) in Qatar.
Mboka Mwilambwe is Mayor of the City of Bloomington and Deputy Director of ISU’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Mwilambwe was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been playing football since he was 4 years old. When he enrolled at ISU, he competed in intramural tournaments most years. Once he started working full time at ISU, he joined a recreational league team with many international students, aptly called I-House. One of his members from Tanzania told him that organizing and managing the team was an important community service. He said it provided a sense of belonging to those who were away from home. For Mwilambwe, the game is important beyond just playing, and he has now passed on his love for the game to his son, a member of Scott Gallagher, a highly competitive St. Louis travel club.
Rick Gardner is a lifelong Bloomington resident, ISU alumnus and retiree. He was introduced to soccer during his freshman year of high school in the fall of 1971. He coached men’s soccer in the PCSL and CIYSL in the 1990s. He has played pickup soccer at Bloomington-Normal since almost 20 years. He organizes games for the Park Drag United pickup soccer group and is the group’s de facto activities director.
Rabah Seffal retired from Caterpillar after 24 years as an engineer. Born in Algeria, he has resided in Bloomington since 1998. His two daughters attended Bloomington High School where the youngest played soccer. He played soccer in Algeria and in New Orleans where he went to college. He joined the Park Drag United soccer group over 14 years ago and will continue to kick a ball, laugh and dance after scoring a goal.
Speakers will discuss the history of the Park Drag United Soccer Club in Bloomington-Normal. A diverse group of players from different backgrounds in a stimulating environment come together around a soccer ball to enjoy the game. Adedze will focus on the global joy and celebration of the FIFA World Cup and the recent football and stamp exhibition at the IWU which will coincide with the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Gardner’s presentation will highlight emphasis on diversity and the organization of Park Drag Games over the years. Seffal will recall his personal experience joining the group, and similarly, Mwilambwe will talk about his playing years at ISU, with Park Drag United, and football in the community in general.
Upcoming series events:
- March 29: Labor and human rights and the 2022 FIFA World Cup
- April 19: Corruption in the world of football
Those wishing to attend the event in person must register in advance. A free buffet lunch will be offered to in-person attendees prior to the event at 11:45 a.m. If you cannot attend in person and would still like to join, you can do so virtually using this Zoom. link (advance registration is not required for online participation).
Anyone with questions, concerns, or regarding any accommodations to fully participate, please contact Emmy Buonomo at [email protected] or call him Office of International Engagement at (309) 438-1651. Please allow plenty of time to arrange accommodation.
