RWC 2019: Societe Generale Kids Rugby Spirit Festival

Societe Generale staff and charitable partners are raising funds via various crowdfunding pages to get underprivileged youths to the Societe Generale Kids Rugby Spirit Festival in Japan at the Rugby World Cup 2019.

The Japan RWC 2019 is fast approaching and a number of new events planned around the spirit and impact of the tournament are also ramping up.

What is the Societe Generale Kids Rugby Spirit Festival?

According to the fundraising pages, the “Societe Generale Kids Rugby Spirit Festival is a charity programme organized in partnership with ChildFund (Australia), World Rugby’s charity partner for Rugby World Cup 2019 (RWC 2019). It allows underprivileged kids from Societe Generale’s supported charities, across the Asia Pacific and other selected locations to experience the ‘once in a lifetime’ RWC 2019 in Japan.”

The festival is set to take place for 3 days from 24-26 October. In total, they are hoping to bring 8 children aged between 11-14 to the Kids Rugby Spirit Festival.

The festival will enable the youths to benefit from a “cultural exchange program, benefit from educational workshops, take part in a tag rugby tournament, and attend together the 1st semi-final of RWC 2019 on Saturday 26 October 2019.

Which charities are participating?

• Australia: National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy
• China: Adream Charitable Foundation
• Hong Kong: HKRU Community Foundation
• Hong Kong: Hans Andersen Club
• India: Aseema Charitable Trust
• India: Get into Rugby (Indian Rugby Union)
• India: Magic Bus Foundation
• Japan: Kids Door
• Singapore: Children’s Wishing Well
• South Korea: Cheong Woon Welfare Center
• Taiwan: Taiwan Fund for Children & Families
• Madagascar: Terres en Melees
• Vietnam: ChildFund

We have found the following pages if you want to support their cause:

• Hong Kong- All Black Swans
• Rugby India- The Ragtags

What is ChildFund?

As one of the core partners, ChildFund is a “global alliance of child-focused international development organisations which assists more than 13 million children and their families in over 60 countries. ChildFund’s Australian entity has partnered with World Rugby for Rugby World Cup 2019, with a dedicated programme called “ChildFund Pass It Back”.

We have previously interview Chris Mastaglio from ChildFund about the program and the RWC 2019 announced the mascots for the Rugby World Cup Japan as ambassadors.

Societe Generale Foundation

You can read more about Societe Generale and their foundation on the website. They also support Rugby India and have been involved with Hong Kong Rugby.

How much is being raised?

The crowdfunding targets vary from what we have seen between 3000-5000 Euros.

Editors note: Although we think the Societe Generale Kids Rugby Spirit Festival sounds fantastic for the youths, we find it odd Societe Generale, which posted Group profits of 3.86 billion euros ($4.43 billion) in 2018 needs to raise funds from the public for this event?