The Newcastle United defender has become patron of the North’s Show Racism the Red Card campaign.
The charity is an anti-racist pressure group which uses the public profile of professional footballers as role models to encourage people to challenge bigotry.
Sol, who played 73 times for England and joined Newcastle in the summer, will take part in educational programmes aimed at school children and fans.
Sol said: “Racism touches a lot of people and not only people in sport. It transcends and goes into a lot of different areas of society.
“Racism is something that we have to tackle and I intend to do as much as I can.”
Sol was born in Stratford to Jamaican parents Sewell and Wihelmina. He was the youngest of twelve children, nine of whom were boys.
Throughout his career - including spells at Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth - he’s faced ugly incidents sparked by the colour of his skin.
In September 2008, Sol was the target for racist chants from Tottenham supporters at a match against his Portsmouth team at Fratton Park.
Eleven men were arrested and charged with hurling racist abuse.
Show Racism the Red Card was set up 13 years ago to try to promote racial harmony within the game through education.
Abuse from the stands was not uncommon during the 1970s and 80s and the bigots were usually targeting the oppositions team’s black players.
The campaign has harnessed the celebrity status of both black and white players to produce educational films and visit schools delivering the anti-racist message.
Over the years Newcastle United stars past and present have lent their support.
Big names like Kevin Keegan, Warren Barton, Shola Ameobi, Olivier Bernard and Shaka Hislop have attended events and workshops at schools and clubs.
Ged Grebby, of Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC), said: “It is fantastic of the players to support Show Racism the Red Card in educating local school pupils on the dangers of racism.
“SRTRC has been working with Newcastle United since our inception in January 1996.”
Players from Sunderland AFC and Middlesbrough have also backed the SRTRC campaign.
Boro favourite Curtis Fleming, who spent 10 seasons at the Riverside club until 2001, said racist comments were like “a punch in the face”.
“Racism is unacceptable,” he said. “If we all work together we can get rid of it. When I was in football I would always report it on the football pitch because that’s how we get it sorted.
“If it’s unacceptable off the pitch then it’s unacceptable on the pitch.”
In the last year, the charity ran 42 events at football clubs across the country, as well as a national schools competition which engaged over 600 schools.
As well as national work, SRTRC delivers a more intensive programme of community education in partnership with local authorities in the North East.
Sunday Sun
