The partnership, funded by Club owner Roman Abramovich, will see the ‘Say No To Hate’ programme delivered across 15 schools in the UK for an initial pilot programme.The scheme will provide lessons and activities to help schools and pupils talk about difference and diversity, celebrate inclusion, understand discrimination and how it makes people feel, and work to make everyone feel included and safe at school.The ADL, which was founded in 1913, is a leading anti-hate organisation in the US and have been delivering anti-bias education sessions in schools across the US for a number of years with great success.

To mark the launch, over 50 children from schools in the US and UK were brought together for an online workshop and were tasked with a number of interactive activities, including creating words and images of items that they felt represented them. They were then invited to discuss the reasons they selected these images with the other young participants on the call.

During the session the children heard from Chelsea Men’s player and US international Christian Pulisic, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt and Chelsea Club Chairman, Bruce Buck.

Simon Taylor, Head of Chelsea Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to be working alongside ADL in creating our ‘Say No To Hate’ programme.‘We have seen how big of an impact ADL's ‘No Place for Hate’ programme has had in schools in the US and that’s enabled us to create a UK-based version which will be rolled out in our schools here in England.‘Our ‘Say No To Hate’ programme will provide children with educational workshops on diversity, inclusion and how discrimination of any kind has no place in football, or society.‘We are very much looking forward to continuing our work with ADL and educating the younger generation through the programme.’National Director of Prek-12 Education programmes at ADL, Caterina Rodriguez, added: ‘ADL could not be more excited to partner with the Chelsea Foundation in helping UK students challenge bias and celebrate inclusion through the Say No To Hate programme, inspired by ADL’s ‘No Place for Hate’ programme in US schools.‘What a perfect way to launch this programme by virtually bringing together ‘Say No To Hate’ and ‘No Place for Hate’ students to explore the various aspects of identity and discuss the importance of getting to know someone in their full complexity.‘It is inspiring and humbling to witness these young students leading conversations and efforts to ensure that their schools are places where all students can thrive.’

To learn more about the work of ADL, click here