São Paulo, April 14, 2026 – Flamengo and its ambassador Zico, the club’s greatest idol and one of the most iconic players in world football, were received on April 13 at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, in a move that marks another step in the campaign initiated in Brazil and later scaled internationally so that the “Nation”, as Flamengo’s fan base of 45 million people is known, can be recognized as the world’s first Symbolic-Cultural Nation.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming welcomed the club’s representatives – with Communications Director Flávia da Justa representing Flamengo – at the General Assembly Hall in a meeting that formalized Flamengo’s closer ties with the Organization through its adhesion to the Football for the Goals program. As a Nation has the power to mobilize and inspire people, but also carries responsibilities, Zico presented a book compiling the club’s initiatives related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and was honored as the first Brazilian to receive the title of “Champion” of the Program.
“Receiving this recognition as a ‘Champion’ of Football for the SDGs is a great honor. Football has always had the power to unite and inspire people. If we can use that strength to help build a fairer world, with more opportunities and respect, then it’s already worth it,” said Zico.
Conceived by Artplan, the “Nation at the UN” campaign, which sent a petition to the United Nations, was based on a strategic insight: if every nation carries collective commitments, Flamengo, due to the cultural, social, and symbolic scale of its fan base, already operates as one. From this perspective, the project evolved from a communication campaign into an institutional articulation, giving visibility to the actions Flamengo already carries out within the UN’s sustainable development agenda.
“Flamengo understands its fan base as a central asset in brand building, but also as a force capable of generating real impact in society. Being at the UN today, formalizing our adhesion to Football for the Goals, is a recognition of Flamengo’s scale and responsibility. The club already develops initiatives aligned with these principles and, from now on, expands its role by connecting to a global agenda,” said Flávia da Justa, Flamengo’s Communications Director.
One of the large-scale activations was the mobilization at Maracanã Stadium, which engaged players and fans in a collective and symbolic gesture: athletes and supporters simultaneously performed the anti-racism protocol gesture: arms crossed in an “X.” Fighting racism is the 18th SDG.
“There’s no one better than Zico to represent this moment. Seeing him being received at the UN in this way, just like heads of state are, is the crowning achievement of a journey that makes us very proud,” said Rodrigo Almeida, CCO of Artplan.
