Spanish football champions Barcelona have shelved plans to seek shirt sponsorship and will instead use the club's name and resources to finance humanitarian projects.
President Joan Laporta said the Barca board had agreed to donate 0.7 percent of annual income starting from the 2006/07 season to the United Nations as a contribution to their Millennium Development Goals campaign.
"This is the biggest (sporting) initiative to raise awareness of poverty the world has seen," said Laporta.
"Barcelona will become the first sporting institution to establish an alliance of this order with an institution like the UN in order to fight against poverty and injustice in the world."
He added: "The growth in the club's income has allowed us to take a decision of this type."
Barcelona, whose motto in Catalan is "mes que un club" (more than just a club) predict that income for the present season will reach some 240 million euros ($304.3 million).
The UN's Millennium campaign aims to reduce extreme poverty, hunger and infant mortality, achieving universal primary education and promoting sexual equality.
European Union nations have already agreed to a timetable for gradually bringing their annual aid contributions up to 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product, or annual income.
Barca won their second league title in a row last week and meet Arsenal in the Champions League final in Paris on May 17.
Reuters
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