Jerseys Against Hate: Soccer’s Role in Memory and Human Rights
From June 15 to September 15, 2026, the São Paulo Holocaust Memorial will host the groundbreaking exhibition “Jerseys Against Hate”, created by the Holocaust Museum of Curitiba. Timed to coincide with the World Cup season, the exhibition uses soccer — a universal language capable of mobilizing millions — as a tool for reflection on prejudice, memory, and human rights.
The show brings together 36 jerseys from national teams and clubs across more than six countries that, in recent years, have carried messages against antisemitism, racism, gender-based violence, religious intolerance, terrorism, and war. Divided into six thematic modules, the exhibition features pieces from Brazilian clubs such as Corinthians, Flamengo, Vasco, Santos, Fluminense, and Atlético Mineiro, as well as the men’s and women’s national teams. International highlights include jerseys from Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Darfur United — a symbolic team formed by refugees from western Sudan — and Israeli clubs.
The uniforms were worn by athletes including Vinícius Júnior, Hulk, Germán Cano, and Geyse Ferreira, and bear tributes ranging from Holocaust remembrance to anti-racism campaigns and calls for peace. Together, they reveal how soccer can transcend the pitch to become a powerful platform for social mobilization.
The exhibition’s origins are rooted in a Brazilian initiative. The first item in the collection was a Corinthians jersey worn in November 2019 during a match against Fortaleza, featuring a Star of David as part of the campaign “A Star Not to Forget”, created by Tech & Soul in partnership with the São Paulo Holocaust Memorial. The Jersey was acquired by Holocaust survivor Amnon Czerny Z”L and later donated to the museum during the International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony on January 27, 2020. Czerny passed away months later, in September of the same year, at the age of 84, leaving behind a legacy of memory and testimony.
Source: Ianca Loureiro
