Crossing Borders through Sports: The 'Objective Dakar' Project by AS Football INSA Lyon.

The sports and socio-cultural project "Objective Dakar," led by AS Football INSA Lyon, enabled 20 students from various nationalities at INSA Lyon to travel to Senegal for a week of football-related activities. The choice of Senegal as the destination was not arbitrary; as the capital of African football and a French-speaking country, it provided a perfect environment for the development of their project.

During their stay, INSA Lyon students had the opportunity to meet Dakar residents and share their common passion on numerous occasions, especially during a tournament that brought together male and female clubs from the suburbs of Dakar. This mission also allowed them to promote women's football, which is still underdeveloped in Senegal.

On-site, the students met with the Director of the Polytechnic School of Thiès (EPT), where they organised a football match and a conference on "Women's Careers in Engineering," emphasising the importance of gender equality in the professional world.
The outcome of this experience was very positive. For Eugène Foucher, a student at INSA Lyon and an active member of the sports association, "These events directly related to football were exceptional for us to realize that sport is an incredible social catalyst. [...] It is a universal language that encourages us to explore what is happening elsewhere. This is even more true for a sport like football, played in every village around the world."

For these students, football represents much more than just a sporting activity. It is a means to broaden their minds and understand other cultural and social realities. Beyond the sporting aspect, this immersion in Senegal allowed them to develop valuable human skills. Eugène Foucher shared, "This experience was exceptional for the entire group. It also allowed us to reposition ourselves in the vast world we live in, which is essential as future engineers."

This initiative aligns with the humanistic values that have been the driving forces behind the INSA Lyon model since 1957, while also contributing to its commitment to openness to all differences, whether they be of origin, culture, or social background.