Unity & Inclusion (U&I) is a living archive of over 20 years in social impact, community and charitable work around the world. Founded by George Lista, it seeks to bring people and organisations together that unify and include.

A journey that started as a child feeding homeless people in London has evolved into the provision of multidisciplinary support serving a diverse range of beneficiaries.

In 2008, George was introduced to the Homeless World Cup at the annual Sports Podge event in London. This inspired the creation of the Nations Unity Campaign that offered free consulting support to all HWC partner organisations.

George negotiated £10k in emergency sponsorship for the 2009 South Africa Homeless World Cup team who had lost their transport funding, and he flew to Milan to personally greet the team. He offered direct mentoring support to the players co-ordinated through the My Life Foundation. The team won their first ever trophy and were received at Parliament in Cape Town by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

George spoke at various screenings around the world promoting the movie ‘Streetball’ directed by Demetrius Wren, about the 2008 and 2009 South African players. A recent film ‘The Beautiful Game’ about the tournament was also featured on Netflix.

The Gambia: George provided project consulting and leadership to a family-run charity as interim chair that achieved an estimated impact of 5000 beneficiary contacts between 2009-11. He helped direct resources across competing priorities: construction of a 100-child capacity school, refurbishing a 12 bed children’s ward, supplies for a 200-child orphanage in Kanifing, clothing children in Kanuma village and equipping a football project in Barra. Recognised for 5 UN Millennium Development Goals contributions.

Back in England, George developed the first eco-art activism education initiative in the UK, using large-scale collaborative art to bring environmental activism into classrooms and the wider community. The artwork was displayed in schools and public spaces, creating a highly publicised community experience that achieved unprecedented cross-party, cross-sector and cross-community engagement and support.

In 2010, George authored a Sexual Health Testing & Education model with an estimated potential impact of approx. 500,000 people. The project showcased internationally at ACTHIV American Conference for the Treatment of HIV, an international platform with the shared goal of saving lives. The project used sport as a vehicle to challenge barriers to sexual health testing and contributed to a global exchange of knowledge and practice around HIV prevention.

He also co-founded the Sussex Caribbean & African HIV Prevention Network in collaboration with local community organisations, Brighton NHS PCT and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, building a coordinated public-health network to reduce infection and morbidity rates among hard-to-reach groups by improving access to early diagnosis and addressing stigma. Together, the work touched approximately 7,000 lives across the regional Black population (circa 15,000).

George continues to challenge inequality, racism and homophobia whilst strengthening ethnic unity and social inclusion through community initiatives connecting marginalised and disenfranchised people. He was a speaker at the Black History Month event supported by the Brighton & Hove Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership, celebrating the contribution of Black footballers and highlighting barriers faced within the game. As an Ambassador for the Justin Fashanu All-Stars, he represented the organisation at Plymouth Pride. He also played in the GFSNL, the world’s only national 11-a-side LGBTQ+ inclusive football league, helping to elevate its profile and engagement among mainstream football fans.

Homelessness provides one of the clearest examples of the depth and evolution of this work. George’s lived experience on the street as a teenager, direct support and his work with organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness, led to his selection by Homeless Link to join the panel of a £22m UK inter-ministerial fund for Homelessness Transition, as well as its Evaluation and Monitoring sub-committee.

In Portugal, George received an Institutional Medal of Merit for futsal coaching and mentoring at-risk youth in a deprived gang-dominated district. He secured funding to sustain its sporting, educational and social impact; the project won national honours and provided pathways to professional and international call-ups.

In Morocco, he established the first Homeless World Cup-approved organisation for the country, serving highly marginalised people in poverty, facing barriers with documentation, housing, health and education. Successfully represented the nation at the 2012 Homeless World Cup in Mexico City.

George has been rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming street dogs from Türkiye since 2021.

All it takes to start something good is U&I

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