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45 new projects receive support from the UEFA Foundation for Children

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The foundation reiterates its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights around the world. The UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, under the chairmanship of the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, met at the House of European Football in Nyon on 29 November. One of the most anticipated topics on the agenda was the selection of new projects. Many non-profit organisations that share the foundation’s values responded to the call for projects issued in the summer and submitted projects promoting access to sport, health, education, personal development and/or the integration of minorities. This year, UEFA has increased its budget to the foundation, allowing €3,838,504 to be allocated to new projects. Many worthy applications were received. The members of the board of trustees agreed in advance that half of the amount available would be allocated to projects in Europe and the other half to projects elsewhere in the world. To fulfil its objective…

Wladimir Klitschko and Snežana Samardžić-Marković join UEFA Foundation for Children

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Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko and Snežana Samardžić-Marković from the Council of Europe have become new members of the UEFA Foundation for Children board of trustees. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko and Snežana Samardžić-Marković, director general of democracy at the Council of Europe, have joined the UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees. The UEFA Foundation for Children, which aims to help young people in difficult circumstances and defend their rights, made the announcement on Thursday following a board meeting at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. “We are delighted to welcome Wladimir and Snežana,” said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, who is chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children. “They are committed to fighting to improve the lives of disadvantaged children across the globe, and we are now in the fortunate position of being able to call upon their knowledge and expertise.” Klitschko, one of the most celebrated boxers…

Match For Solidarity: First newsletter is out

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The first newsletter of the Match for Solidarity is now available. Learn more about the results of the first Match for Solidarity organised jointly by UEFA and the United Nations to raise funds for the UEFA Foundation for Children in order to support humanitarian projects. Newsletter 1 – Match for Solidarity

Zaatari and Azraq residents to benefit from two new artificial football pitches

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The UEFA Foundation for Children, Lay’s and the Asian Football Development Project partner for a second year to build new football facilities for refugees.  Jordan, 17 September 2018: the UEFA Foundation for Children, Lay’s and the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP) have joined forces to turn unsafe play areas at two refugee camps in northern Jordan into artificial football pitches. A dedicated girls-only pitch will enhance Zaatari’s current football facilities, while a newly upgraded pitch will enable even more football-loving girls and boys in the Azraq camp to enjoy their favourite game. Lay’s first teamed up with the UEFA Foundation for Children and the AFDP in September 2017 to build a full-size, permanent artificial pitch for Zaatari residents. Over the past 12 months, 35,000 children and adults have used the pitch, with 600 matches played in 20 tournaments and football training courses on offer all year round. Additionally, 40 men…

Building an inclusive future for visual impaired children

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UEFA Super Cup, a platform for positive change Since its creation in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has become a key presence at the UEFA Super Cup, delivering strong messages of integration, solidarity and hope. This year in Tallinn, a mixed choir of visual impaired and normal-sighted boys and girls aged between 7 and 15 will perform the Florence And The Machine song You’ve got the Love before kick-off on Wednesday 15 August. The choir will be made up of children from Tallinna Heleni Kool (Helen’s School in Tallinn), which teaches children with hearing and visual impairments, and multiple disabilities, and Tallinna Poistekoor (the Tallinn boys’ choir). The support of the players of Real Madrid CF and Club Atlético de Madrid will highlight the importance of integrating children with disabilities into society as well as giving opportunities to children in less-privileged parts of the world. The youngsters will have…

Field in a Box™ provides opportunities for young people in Brazil

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Football as a platform for positive change in Olinda The community of Rio Doce yesterday celebrated the official opening of a Field in a Box pitch in Olinda as part of a collaborative social responsibility programme by FedEx Express, the UEFA Foundation for Children and streetfootballworld. This ambitious project aims to use football to deliver positive change in communities where young people live in challenging circumstances. “This Field in a Box pitch will provide sports infrastructure for community activities aimed at creating opportunities for youngsters and strengthening social ties in Olinda. Every child will learn to play a key role in the community’s future and cohesion,” said Pascal Torres, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children. “When FedEx Express began sponsoring the UEFA Europa League, we wanted to find a way to use our involvement in professional football to benefit young people on a more personal level. The Field…

Match for Solidarity helps disabled children around the globe

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UEFA and the United Nations helped to raise €605,000 for the UEFA Foundation for Children to fund humanitarian and development projects around the world. On 21 April, UEFA and the United Nations Office at Geneva joined forces to stage the Match for Solidarity charity football match. Aside from the game, between teams captained by Ronaldinho and Luís Figo, the event included a unique global digital auction for fans and a live auction at a gala dinner held after the match. All proceeds from the match and auctions are being allocated to humanitarian and development projects. The match, held at the Stade de Genève in glorious sunshine, proved to be extremely popular, with 23,654 fans turning up to watch Figo’s team triumph 4–3 in an almost sold-out stadium. The overriding aim of the event was to promote peace, human rights and well-being across the world through the the Sustainable Development Goals…

Winners of 2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards announced

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Awards go to 20 European organisations supporting disadvantaged children On 16 May, the Board of Trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met in Lyon at the offices of Sport dans la Ville – an organisation that uses sport to help young people to integrate into society – under the stewardship of its chairman, Aleksander Čeferin. The agenda for that meeting included a number of important items of business, such as the 2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards and the approval of the projects to be supported using the proceeds from the recent Match for Solidarity, which took place in Geneva on 21 April and was jointly organised by UEFA and the United Nations. As regards administrative business, the chairman of The Football Association, Greg Clarke, was voted onto the Board of Trustees, bringing the total number of members to 11. The Board of Trustees also took note of the…

Dreams made possible for Lyon children at UEFA Europa League final

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FedEx Express donates its player escort allocation to French charity Sport dans la Ville The UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx Express – a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation and the world’s largest express transportation company – are offering local children a dream opportunity at the UEFA Europa League final in Lyon on 16 May 2018. Children chosen by Sport dans la Ville, a local non-profit organisation, will lead the two teams – Olympique de Marseille and Club Atlético de Madrid – out onto the pitch at the Stade de Lyon, where, for a brief moment, they themselves will be the stars of the UEFA Europa League final. FedEx Express’s UEFA Europa League ambassador, Ruud Gullit, delivered the exciting news to those 22 children during a recent behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium. As the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, FedEx Express works closely with the UEFA Foundation for Children on initiatives…

Field in a Box opens up new possibilities for young people in Philippi, Cape Town

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FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), and the UEFA Foundation for Children celebrated the opening of the latest Field in a Box in the Philippi township of Cape Town on Saturday 14 April 2018. As the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, FedEx delivers its Field in a Box programme in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation for Children and global non-profit organisation streetfootballworld. The programme delivers easy-to-install, artificial-turf sports fields, each aiming to use football as a platform to empower children and young adults. “Our intention by building these fields is to provide an environment that is inclusive and accessible to everyone in the community. We hope that they will provide a foundation for personal and sometimes longer-term socio-economic development,” says Mike Higley, FedEx Express vice-president for sub-Saharan Africa. “Living and playing together is a commitment to the future and sustainable development of South Africa. We…

UEFA Foundation for Children and Swiss Football Association pledge support for PluSport

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The UEFA Foundation for Children will be supporting the Goal Plus – Play Football project run by PluSport, the Swiss disability sport association, for another year, while the Swiss Football Association has signed an agreement with PluSport to form a partnership in the area of disability football. Football is the world’s most popular sport and, thanks to these two partnerships, access to sport, and to football in particular, will be made easier for everyone, regardless of any disability. Play Football promotes the integration of disabled children and teenagers into society and sport by creating football groups that train together regularly and organising tournaments at which teams can compete against each other. “The fact that the foundation is supporting our project for another year is great news for us and shows the increasing value attached to our tournaments,” explains René Will, PluSport director. By supporting the project, the UEFA Foundation for…

Nissan partner to tackle youth employability challenges in France and the UK

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PARIS, France & LONDON, England (15th February 2018) – Today Nissan is joining UEFA Foundation for Children and streetfootballworld to support grassroots organisations Sport dans la Ville in France and Street League in the United Kingdom. Part of its mission to create a “cleaner, safer, fairer” world, Nissan is addressing the issue of the roughly 7 million young people (15-24) in Europe that are Not in Education, Employment and Training (NEETs). In the beginning of February 2018, the two-year partnerships in France and the UK are aligned with activities run by the Nissan Skills Foundation in the UK, which seek to encourage the next generation of talent in design, engineering and manufacturing sectors. Stuart Jackson, VP Brand & Communications for Nissan Europe said: “At Nissan we believe in creating a cleaner, safer, fairer society through the power of our people and our products. As an official UEFA Champions League partner,…

Match For Solidarity tickets go on sale

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Legendary players signing up for joint UEFA-UN charity football match in Geneva UEFA and the United Nations Office in Geneva have announced that tickets for the Match For Solidarity went on sale today, as football legends continued to sign up to play in the joint UEFA-United Nations charity game. The match takes place on Saturday 21 April 2018 at 16.00CET at the Stade de Genève, with pre-match activities involving local and international children starting around an hour before kick-off. Tickets are priced at CHF 10, CHF 17 and CHF 22, and can be purchased at http://www.ticketcorner.ch/. The two teams will be captained by Luís Figo and Ronaldinho, and will have Carlo Ancelotti and Didier Deschamps as the coaches. The match will be refereed by Pierluigi Collina. Other players who have signed up to play include: Éric Abidal, Cafu, Youri Djorkaeff, Alex Frei, Luis García, Nuno Gomes, Christian Karembeu, Fernando Hierro, Jari Litmanen,…

New projects funded by the UEFA Foundation for Children

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Additional funds allocated to 28 projects in support of vulnerable children around the world. The UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, led by its new chairman, Aleksander Čeferin, met at the House of European Football in Nyon on 22 November, when they were invited to approve a host of new projects shortlisted following the 2017 call for projects held in August and September this year. A great many project applications were received. In order to narrow down the selection, a working group of trustees was established to draw up a shortlist that took into account budgetary forecasts and the foundation’s ethics code. On the basis of this shortlist, the board has approved 28 projects, half of which are in Europe. The new European programmes supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children use sport, and football in particular, to give the most vulnerable a chance to participate in physical activity,…

Aleksander Čeferin becomes chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children

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Today, the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, was elected as the new chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children at the board of trustees’ meeting held at the UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work even closer with our foundation, which plays an instrumental role in aiding children living in challenging and difficult conditions around the world,” the UEFA president said. Aleksander Čeferin takes over from former European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, who chaired the foundation since its creation in 2015. “I was honoured to be invited by UEFA to be the first chairman of the foundation,” Mr Barroso said. “My wish is for the UEFA Foundation for Children to continue and, if possible, increase the support that is so important for so many underprivileged children around the world.” Aleksander Čeferin was one of three new members to join the board of trustees,…

UEFA President Čeferin inaugurates pitch at Jordanian refugee camp

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UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has helped to officially open a new football pitch at the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, which will give thousands of children the opportunity to play the game they love, with the best facilities possible. Over 200 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 13 took part in the opening ceremony, and were joined by Mr. Čeferin for a football match on the new playing surface. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see how something as simple as a football pitch can bring so much joy and happiness. Football has the ability to inspire, unite and also teach children important life skills and values, such as teamwork and respect,” the UEFA president said. The building of the full-sized artificial pitch was backed by the UEFA Foundation for Children, the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP), the Jordanian Football Association, the Norwegian Football Federation and Lay’s, who…

UEFA foundation welcomes continued collaboration with FedEx in support of ‘football for good’ movement

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UEFA ambassador Jerzy Dudek to celebrate the inauguration of a second community pitch in Mragowo, Poland Following the huge success of the first Field in a Box delivered by the UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx to the community of Cañada Real in Madrid in May 2016 and its visible impact on the positive development of young people, FedEx, main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, decided to continue its work with the UEFA foundation to provide similar fields to other communities in need. The global not-for-profit network streetfootballworld helped to identify the location for a second pitch, deciding on the town of Mragowo in northeast Poland on the basis of the potential for positive impact. Local charity Mazurskie Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Sportowych (MSIS), a partner of streetfootballworld in Mragowo, will be responsible for maintaining the pitch and ensuring its sustainable use through the employment of an activities coordinator. The inauguration…

Football in support of diversity at 2017 UEFA Super Cup

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Hearing-impaired children from Skopje to perform a song using sign language For the third year, the UEFA Foundation for Children will play an active role in the UEFA Super Cup opening ceremony, raising awareness and sending messages of tolerance, solidarity and social inclusion towards our most vulnerable children. This year’s UEFA Super Cup will be contested by UEFA Champions League titleholders Real Madrid CF and UEFA Europa League champions Manchester United FC in Skopje, FYR Macedonia, on 8 August. Before kick-off, a group of 19 hearing-impaired youngsters from the local state school for education and rehabilitation, DUCOR Partenija Zografski, will perform Coldplay’s A Sky full of Stars in sign language, alongside Falsetto children’s choir. In doing so they will send a powerful message to the world about the importance of integrating children with disabilities in society. European football and the clubs are supporting the cause by sharing this unique stage,…

UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx return to Cañada Real

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It has been a year since the UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx, the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, built the first ‘Field in a Box’ in the Cañada Real district of Madrid, one of Spain’s most economically disadvantaged areas. To celebrate the resounding success of this community football pitch, which was donated to Red Deporte y Cooperación, a Madrid-based non-profit organisation, we recently met up with FedEx near the Spanish capital. The ‘Field in a Box’, is an enclosed, artificial football pitch with metal railings and high-sided goals that was shipped by FedEx in two containers and inaugurated in May 2016. It sits in an area of self-constructed housing, home to immigrants from both Morocco and the Roma community. Local charity Red Deporte y Cooperación maintains the pitch and ensures its sustainable and coordinated use by employing a youth coach from the local community. Red Deporte’s sports programme…

Winners of 2017 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards announced

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Awards go to 20 organisations recommended by UEFA member associations supporting deprived children On 24 May, the Board of Trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm under the stewardship of its chairman, José Manuel Durão Barroso. The agenda for that meeting included a number of important items of business, such as the approval of new members of the Board of Trustees and the 2017 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards.   New members of the Board of Trustees: The Board of Trustees is composed of between 5 and 15 natural persons or representatives of legal entities. They are elected by existing members of the Board of Trustees and serve renewable four-year terms of office. At the meeting in Stockholm, four new members were elected by the necessary two-thirds majority of the members of the Board of Trustees, as required by the Organisational Regulations of…

A Family celebration in Cardiff

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Fun for the whole family at the UEFA Women’s Champions League final Thursday 1 June is not only the day of the UEFA Women’s Champions League final – it is also the UN Global Day of Parents. To mark this double celebration, the UEFA Foundation for Children will make it an extra special day for youngsters and their families watching the final between Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain at the Cardiff City Stadium. A number of activities involving children and their parents have been planned for this prestigious event. The initiative will be clear for all to see at the opening ceremony, when 15 girls and their parents raise a giant centre circle. The girls will also have the opportunity to meet the players on the eve of the final. The foundation has also arranged match tickets for over 800 children and parents connected to charitable organisations in Cardiff that…

UEFA Europa League dream for local children

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UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx ready to offer an unforgettable experience to disadvantaged children in Stockholm The UEFA Foundation for Children is delighted to once again team up with FedEx to offer children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to act as player escorts at the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday 24 May at Friends Arena in Stockholm. FedEx, the UEFA Europa League’s main partner, has donated its entire allocation of player escort places to disadvantaged children, giving them the chance to walk onto the pitch with their heroes from Manchester United FC and AFC Ajax. In addition, FedEx is donating 100 match tickets to other children through local charities. The UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx selected the lucky children with the help of streetfootballworld, a global non-profit organisation that uses football to drive social change, a Stockholm-based organisation Djurgarden Fotboll and three local charity organisations: Barn till Ensamma Mammor,…

The UEFA Foundation for Children supports the Swiss disability sport association

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Every child has the right to play football The Goal Plus project of the Swiss disability association, PluSport, was one of those selected for support by the UEFA Foundation for Children following its call for projects in summer 2016. Goal Plus uses football and the passion it creates to give disabled children the opportunity to get active, have fun and develop team spirit – all of which helps their integration. The Goal Plus project consists of two subprojects: Play Football and From Football to Rafroball – one for youngsters who can walk and the other for those who use wheelchairs. With the support of the UEFA Foundation for Children, more children and groups can take part in the project, more teams can be set up, weekly training sessions and regular tournaments can be organised, rafroball can be developed for children who cannot play conventional football and rafroball camps organised, coaches…

UEFA Foundation for Children backs 12 new projects

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The foundation’s board of trustees promotes sport as a vehicle to support vulnerable children. The UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, chaired by the former European Commission president, José Manuel Durão Barroso, met in October at the House of European Football in Nyon. The main items on the meeting agenda included a review of all current activities and campaigns, and the inaugural 2016 UEFA Foundation for Children awards ceremony took place, highlighting the work of the five charitable bodies chosen to receive the awards for their campaigns seeking to promote peace, integration, greater social harmony, respect for differences and non-discrimination: streetfootballworld, Colombianitos, Just Play, Right to Play and Magic Bus. The board also approved new projects, following on from a call for projects for 2016/17. The board carefully studied the numerous initiatives submitted, which had to meet the following criteria: conformity with the UEFA Foundation for Children’s statutes; credibility…

Inauguration of the Za’atari House of Sports

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UEFA Foundation for Children expands its assistance for refugees A major project financed by the UEFA Foundation for Children has reached fruition today with the inauguration of the House of Sports at the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. The House of Sports, constructed inside the camp, will provide a single umbrella facility for all sports activities there. The venue was officially opened in the presence of representatives of the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UEFA Foundation for Children, and French former international footballer Christian Karembeu. Prince Ali bin Hussein, AFDP founder, declared: “Every child deserves a nurturing environment, and the displaced children of Syria are no exception. Today, we dedicate to thousands of young refugees a healthy and vibrant space and the necessary tools for engaging in activities that can brighten up their day and, hopefully, their future as well. I…

Football united against the bombing of civilians

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Two children from conflict zones to escort the teams onto the pitch at the UEFA Super Cup This year’s UEFA Super Cup, which will take place on Tuesday 9 August in the Norwegian city of Trondheim and will be contested by Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC, will be used to send a message of peace and solidarity to civilian victims of bombing around the world. During the pre-match ceremony, the two team captains will be escorted onto the field of play by two disabled child refugees who have found sanctuary in Norway – one from Afghanistan and the other from Syria. Together, they will carry the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League trophies out onto the pitch. The UEFA Foundation for Children is working with Handicap International, which defends the rights of disabled people worldwide, improves their living conditions and helps them to integrate into society. The foundation…

Streetfootballworld festival opens in Lyon

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The streetfootballworld Festival16 in Lyon, hosted by the Sport dans la Ville association in the French city and backed by the UEFA Foundation for Children, will involve 500 youngsters from disadvantaged communities worldwide. Football’s timeless power as a vehicle for social good will take center stage in Lyon in the coming days, as UEFA EURO 2016 moves towards an exciting climax. The streetfootballworld Festival16, hosted by the Sport dans la Ville association in the French city and backed by the UEFA Foundation for Children, begins on Tuesday and, until 6 July, will feature a packed programme of social and educational events bringing together more than 500 young participants from disadvantaged communities across the world. The festival gives the opportunity for participants to share in a multicultural experience, increase their awareness of the global impact of football as a force for good, and help their local communities by sharing experiences and knowledge gained…

UEFA Foundation for Children defends child refugees’ rights

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Thanks to football, the foundation supports children and gives them new prospects for the future. To mark World Refugee Day on 20 June, the UEFA Foundation for Children reaffirms its support for partner bodies who are working to improve the lives of child refugees, respecting their fundamental rights and their dignity. Since its creation in April 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has been involved in projects that defend the rights of child refugees. At the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, the foundation has set up numerous sports activities, as well as a football championship, which enables the children in the camp to play in a safe environment. In the Middle East, the UEFA foundation is continuing its support work for refugees in Jordan, and is giving financial support to the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP). In Lebanon, the foundation is providing financial assistance to the FC Barcelona Foundation, the…

2016 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards

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Recognising community organisations and their role in helping charitable partners The UEFA Foundation for Children’s decision-making body – the board of trustees, chaired by former European Commission president José Manuel Durão Barroso – held its latest meeting on 13 June at the foundation’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Nominations for the 2016 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards were one of the key items on the agenda. Responsibility for managing and awarding the annual €1 million UEFA Monaco charity award passed from the UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee to the UEFA Foundation for Children in 2015, when it became the UEFA Foundation for Children Awards. The foundation’s board of trustees have established a new selection system to acknowledge and raise the profile of community groups and their contribution to the activities they support. To be eligible for an award, charities must be linked to football, or sport in general, and…

Putting smiles on faces at UEFA EURO 2016

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The UEFA Foundation for Children project 20,000 Children’s Smiles gives 20,000 disadvantaged youngsters the opportunity to attend matches at UEFA EURO 2016. On the initiative of the UEFA Foundation for Children and in close cooperation with EURO 2016 SAS and the tournament’s host cities, 20,000 Children’s Smiles is giving 20,000 youngsters aged 12 to 18 the opportunity to attend UEFA EURO 2016 matches in their local area. The project is being rolled out throughout the group stage (not including the opening match) and the round of 16, i.e. at 43 different matches across all ten host cities, with an average of 500 tickets being made available per match. The project would not have been possible without the support of the host cities, which identified local organisations working day in, day out with young people in difficult situations. The host cities and the UEFA Foundation for Children together have taken care of all…

A mouth-watering appetiser ahead of UEFA EURO 2016

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As a prelude to the real thing this summer, Lille and Lens will soon be put through their paces as they play host to the EURO FOOT Jeunes schools’ tournament. Supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children and organised jointly by France’s National Union of School Sport (UNSS), the International School Sport Federation (ISF), EURO 2016 SAS and the French Football Federation (FFF), the EURO FOOT Jeunes schools’ tournament is aimed at children all over Europe. This major sporting event, which will take place between 30 May and 5 June in northern France, promises to be an enthralling and highly enjoyable experience for all concerned. This extraordinary event, which will take place in Lens and Lille, will feature both boys’ and girls’ competitions. A total of 800 players will take part, competing for 32 teams from 25 different countries. A number of big names from the world of football will…

Local children to escort players at Europa League final in Basel

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190 children from various community football projects in Basel are set for an extraordinary adventure. Having already given 44 disadvantaged children from Seville and Liverpool an unforgettable experience by offering them the chance to be player escorts at the second leg of the two UEFA Europa League semi-finals, FedEx has now donated 100 match tickets for tonight’s final at St. Jakob-Park to community football projects in Basel and the surrounding area. Among the 100 young fans, 22 children aged between seven and nine will have the privilege of walking out onto the pitch alongside the two teams as player escorts. FedEx, is the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League and has donated its entire allocation of player escort places for tonight’s final between Liverpool FC and Sevilla FC to the UEFA Foundation for Children. The recipients of the 100 match tickets have been chosen in cooperation with streetfootballworld, a…

UEFA foundation and FedEx open community pitch in Madrid

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Carlos Marchena inaugurates a new football pitch in Cañada Real district Children and young people from the Cañada Real district of Madrid, known as one of Spain’s most economically disadvantaged areas, now have a new safe place to play sport. The UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx, the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, have given a new football pitch to the Red Deporte y Cooperación, a Madrid-based non-profit organisation that is part of the streetfootballworld network, with the aim of using football to drive social change. Carlos Marchena, the former Spanish international and European and world champion, took part in today’s inauguration ceremony and joined a training session, to the delight of the children present. The brand-new, fully functional pitch is environmentally sustainable and was built in less than a week. It is equipped with floodlighting and changing facilities, and its innovative and modular design has many advantages,…

UEFA Europa League dream for local children

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UEFA foundation and FedEx to create an unforgettable experience for disadvantaged children Around 200 children from communities in England, Spain and Switzerland are being given the thrill of a lifetime thanks to the UEFA Foundation for Children, FedEx Express and streetfootballworld – the youngsters will watch the exciting climax to this season’s UEFA Europa League live, and attend the teams’ pre-match training sessions. This is the first collaboration between a sponsor of UEFA and UEFA Children’s Foundation. The programme kicks off at tonight’s UEFA Europa League semi-final second-leg encounters, and will continue at the final at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland, on 18 May. At each match, 22 children aged between seven and nine will be living a magic moment, walking out onto the pitch alongside the players as their escorts. FedEx, the world’s largest express transportation company, is the main sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, and has donated…

Media Release 03 – UEFA Foundation board supports eight new projects

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The UEFA Foundation for Children strengthens its commitment to defending the rights of vulnerable children worldwide The UEFA Foundation for Children’s decision-making body, the board of trustees chaired by former European Commission president José Manuel Durão Barroso, held its latest meeting yesterday at the Foundation’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The meeting agenda included a review of all current ongoing projects, followed by the ratification of new initiatives to be added to the Foundation’s portfolio in the coming months. The amount of €1.1m will be invested in new projects to be implemented on three continents over a period of several years. Selected initiatives meet the following criteria: correspondence with the Foundation’s statutes; credibility of the partner organisations; presentation of a viable budget with local partners; and viability of the activities. The meeting saw the Foundation commit financial support to eight new projects: Establishment of a media library for street children in…

Media Release 02 – Football United for Peace

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A human chain created by 1,000 children, together with the players and the referee team, to promote peace and unity The UEFA Super Cup match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC, which will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday 11 August, will feature a historic moment in the world of football. For the first time, the opening ceremony will include a human chain: a symbolic act involving the players, the referee team and 1,000 disadvantaged children and accompanying adults from Georgia and eight neighbouring countries. The aim of this shared initiative by the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) and the UEFA Foundation for Children is to spread a powerful message: ‘Football United for Peace’. Tbilisi is the easternmost European city to host the UEFA Super Cup since 2012, when the match left Monaco, where it had been played since 1998. Other cities can now host this encounter between the previous…