Mr. Douglas Emhoff joined a roundtable with key partners of Chelsea FC and Chelsea Foundation’s No To Hate campaign, discussing the power of football in combatting hate and discrimination, before attending an education workshop delivered by Chelsea Foundation to Holy Cross RC Primary School.

As part of the visit, Mr. Douglas Emhoff met with Chelsea captain Reece James who joined the Second Gentleman at the workshop, engaging with the schoolchildren on the No To Hate education programme. James also presented the Second Gentleman with a personalised Chelsea shirt.

The roundtable discussion, hosted by Gabriella Wilkinson, head of campaigns at Chelsea Foundation, saw Mr. Douglas Emhoff joined by Ambassador Rashad Hussain, the United States ambassador at large for the Office of International Religious Freedom and the following:

• Amy Wagner, special adviser to HM Government's independent adviser on antisemitism

• Mayowa Quadri, head of brand at VERSUS and long-term partner of Chelsea FC and Foundation

• Sirayah-Shiraz Koraltan, former recipient of the Chelsea Foundation and BCOMS Journalist Bursary Programme

• Tyrone Reid, schools education coordinator at Chelsea Foundation and former participant in the FA Coach Mentee programme

The roundtable was an opportunity for all participants to share their own perspectives on models of best practice when combatting hate and discrimination, on and off the pitch. The group spoke to the value that partnerships, both nationally and internationally, can bring to efforts to combat racism, antisemitism and islamophobia.

The education session, delivered to a group of year four students, focused on ‘Challenging Discrimination’ where all students made a pledge to challenge discrimination when they see it. The Second Gentleman and Reece James spoke to all students about their individual pledges and took time to learn more about what they had learned in the session.

Speaking on the visit, Lord Daniel Finkelstein, Chelsea FC director and chair of the Chelsea Foundation said, ‘It was a pleasure to host the Second Gentleman and his team at Stamford Bridge this morning.

‘Chelsea FC and Chelsea Foundation are enormously proud of the work done through No To Hate and associated campaigns, and this session provided a brilliant opportunity for us to share best practice with our friends in the US and learn more about what tactics the US State Department are using through sports diplomacy to strengthen international freedom and combat hate’.

His sentiment was echoed by Jonathan Goldstein, Chelsea FC director who said, ‘We were so pleased when the Second Gentleman and his team wanted to come to Chelsea to learn more about this important work.

‘Trying times like these prove the importance of never sleeping on our efforts to combat hate and to challenge discrimination wherever we see it. We remain committed to the and this important work. We thank the Second Gentleman and his team for their time today and wish him and the Vice President well on their remaining time in London.’