FedEx Express and UEFA Foundation for Children support young footballers in Poland

Over 3,000 player mascot kits donated to charities that use football to connect young people and make a positive impact in their lives.

Warsaw, 25 May 2021 – FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has donated over 3,000 football kits to young footballers in Poland in cooperation with the UEFA Foundation for Children. The donation was organised in connection with the UEFA Europa League final, taking place in Gdansk on 26 May. FedEx Express is an official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League.

The 2021 UEFA Europa League final is being held at Gdańsk Stadium. In advance of the event, FedEx Express and the UEFA Foundation for Children have donated football equipment to more than 3,000 young Polish in footballers. Młodzieżowe Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Sportowych (MSIS), located in Mragowo, received 800 football kits and 200 footballs. Over 2,500 kits and 200 balls were also donated to Amp Futbol Polska to support two initiatives: the Junior Amp Futbol programme aimed at children and young people with amputations and limb disabilities, and the Futbol Plus project supporting football academies for children with various disabilities.

“Football offers many opportunities for social integration and well-being. Especially in these challenging times, it is important to support young people in their physical development. As a company, we want to promote sport among children and continue to complement our professional football sponsorship with locally beneficial initiatives. Our team is incredibly proud of this part of our sponsorship,” said Mariusz Mik, Vice President Ground Operations Eastern Europe, FedEx Express.

This is one of many joint initiatives by FedEx Express and the UEFA Foundation for Children to promote sport among young people. Since becoming official sponsor of the UEFA Europe League in 2015, FedEx Express has collaborated on various programmes that use football as a platform for social change, as well as organising player mascots for the finals in Basel (2016), Stockholm (2017), Lyon (2018) and Baku (2019). The player mascots programme has given over 1,000 children a chance to meet their football heroes. For many of them this was a unique and unforgettable experience. While taking the necessary precautions, Polish children will have the chance to meet their football idols at this year’s final on 26 May.

We are grateful for the generosity of our partner FedEx Express, who has decided to invest in programmes promoting football in underprivileged communities and supporting the football for good movement. With the player mascot programme, we give children living in Poland an experience that will forever remain in their hearts and memories.

- Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - MAY 24: The match officials prepare to lead the two teams out prior to the UEFA Europa League Final between Ajax and Manchester United at Friends Arena on May 24, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Simon Hofmann - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

2017 UEFA Europa League final in Stockholm with children from three community football projects:

Barn till Ensamma Mammor, Trygga Barnen and Kista Sports Club.

2018 UEFA Europa League final in Lyon with children from Sport dans la Ville

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 29: Fedex during the UEFA Europa League Final between Chelsea and Arsenal at Baku Olimpiya Stadionu on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Joosep Martinson - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

2019 UEFA Europa League final in Baku with an all-girl player mascot line-up in support of women’s football at a grassroot level promoted by Football Federation of Azerbaijan.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - MAY 18: Fedex player escort kids are seen prior to the UEFA Europa League Final between Liverpool and Sevilla at St. Jakob-Park on May 18, 2016 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Simon Hofmann - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

2016 UEFA Europa League final in Basel with children from four community football projects:

Dream Team Basel; SRD Young Stars; Basel Helps; Pestalozzi Children’s Village

About FedEx Express

Project partner

FedEx Express is the world’s largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable deliveries to more than 200 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed up the delivery of time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a money-back guarantee.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $79bn, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 570,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit about.fedex.com.

UEFA Foundation for Children signs Ivan Rakitić

Croatian legend is "looking forward to putting smiles on children's faces" as the organisation's first official ambassador

The UEFA Foundation for Children is proud to announce that Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitić is to join the organisation as its first official ambassador. The former Croatian international will have the opportunity to take part in UEFA Foundation-led initiatives, as well as promoting the good work undertaken by the body to help improve the lives of children worldwide.

“To be a part of the UEFA Foundation family gives me a lot of pride,” Rakitić explained.

“I’m really happy about it, and it gives me a lot of responsibility to show everyone that together with the UEFA Foundation and all the players we can accomplish a lot and, above all, help children all over the world smile with joy. The fact that I’m a father of two girls means that I know and understand how important it is to see that smile on children’s faces.”

Commitment to improving lives

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, who is also chairman of the board of the UEFA Foundation for Children, is delighted that Rakitić has committed his support to the organisation.

“Ivan Rakitić is not only one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, he is also a person who wants to make a tangible difference away from the pitch in order to improve the lives of others,” said president Čeferin.

“I have been extremely impressed with Ivan’s commitment and desire to help children around the world and we are looking forward to working closely with him in order to achieve these goals. The door is always open for players, both past and present, to follow Ivan’s example and join the UEFA Foundation in an ambassadorial role.”

Being part of a family

Having won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in 2015 and a year earlier the UEFA Europa League as captain of Sevilla, Rakitić also amassed over 100 caps for Croatia. While he has no immediate plans to hang up his boots, he already has one eye on a post-footballing career.

“I hope that I have many good years ahead of me on the pitch, but of course once I retire, I’m convinced that I’ll have more time and more opportunities to travel and be available," he said.

“Obviously, I want to give [this ambassadorial role] my all from day one. But when that [retirement] day finally arrives, I’m sure that I’ll have more time [to take part in projects] and my excitement will only increase.

“The idea of being a part of this family already has me excited to get started, and I hope to be able to do so for many years because I can see how important it is. It’s important work that affects us all, which is to make many children happy.”

I have been extremely impressed with Ivan’s commitment and desire to help children around the world and we are looking forward to working closely with him in order to achieve these goals. The door is always open for players, both past and present, to follow Ivan’s example and join the UEFA Foundation in an ambassadorial role.

- Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president

Hungary v Croatia - UEFA EURO 2020 Qualifier

Rakitic (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)

UEFA Foundation for Children launches digital transformation

The foundation is going digital thanks to a participatory evaluation project created in collaboration with KeeeX.

Since it was established in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has been supporting projects that offer practical support for vulnerable children in the fields of sport, health, education, personal development and employment. Over that time, the foundation has financed 275 projects in 109 countries across all six continents. In order to ensure that funds are used wisely, activities are organised in line with the agreed objectives and each project complies with the foundation’s code of ethics, representatives are sent to conduct the necessary checks on-site. Although this is an essential task, it is very costly in terms of both time and money, not to mention the environmental impact. The COVID-19 pandemic has made these visits even more problematic.

In January 2021, a pilot project was launched in collaboration with three NGOs based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jordan and Ukraine.

Although it is important to carry out on-site visits to some projects, this remote auditing system will significantly cut our travel costs as well as reducing our carbon footprint,” explains Urs Kluser, general secretary of the foundation. “It will make it easier for us to monitor how the funding we send to our partners is used and the savings we make will enable the foundation to support a greater number of projects."

"KeeeX is proud to be contributing to the work of NGOs and associations on the ground by supporting their outreach activities with its remote auditing solution,” says Laurent Henocque, KeeeX founder and CEO. “The UEFA Foundation for Children provides a remarkable illustration of the ethical strength of a dematerialised, transparent relationship of trust, a relationship made possible by our technology combined with the Bitcoin blockchain.”

The UEFA Foundation for Children entered the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2021 with KeeeX. These prizes recognise projects for their excellence in supporting the implementation of WSIS outcomes, in particular the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were developed in response to requests from WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of information and communication technologies to advance sustainable development. The winners will be announced in May 2021.

About KeeeX

Project Partner

KeeeX provides solutions that make all documents, data, processes and decision chains verifiable and traceable. Founded in 2014, this French start-up combines in its patented process the best of cryptography, digital signature and blockchains. Its products are used in audits, the industrial sector and supply chains, as well as the media, services, luxury goods, agrifood, energy, banking, insurance, legal and compliance sectors.

UEFA Foundation for Children supports Gazprom pitch donation in Serbia

UEFA Champions League partner Gazprom has sponsored a football pitch for the benefit of 1,000 school children in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children.

Over a thousand children in Bavanište have been given a lasting footballing legacy following the donation of a pitch by UEFA Champions League partner Gazprom. The initiative is backed by the UEFA Foundation for Children, while ‘Football Friends’, a local charity and partner of streetfootballworld, helped to select the location.

The ‘field in a box’ pitch was built at the Bora Radić primary school in Bavanište, a village about 40km east of Belgrade. Football Friends will be responsible for maintenance while also coordinating training sessions to ensure the local children get the best possible footballing education.

“We welcome Gazprom’s move to join the football-for-good movement and together we look forward to improving the lives of children and empowering them through football,” said the UEFA president and chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, Aleksander Čeferin. “More than ever, during this sanitarian crisis, it is important to enable school children to exercise regularly, give them hope and raise their spirits.”

As part of the handover, an exhibition match was held to inaugurate the new pitch, with mixed teams of boys and girls playing in the ‘Football Friends’ league.

“Gazprom supports youth sports and a healthy lifestyle,” said Aleksey Miller, the chairman of the Gazprom management committee. “We believe in the importance of children’s football development and hope that, through our support for the field in a box project, more youngsters will have the opportunity to join the football community.”

Launched in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children uses football as a springboard to empower children around the world. This is achieved through sporting and educational projects that give children a safe place to learn and play, which ultimately improves their long-term prospects. So far, we supported 275 projects in 109 countries across six continents. This has benefited almost 1.2 million children, while an impressive 32 football pitches have been built throughout the world with the help of the UEFA Foundation.

55 new children’s projects approved

This Friday, the UEFA Foundation for Children celebrates World Children’s Day, using the magic of football to support the children who need it most.

On Wednesday 18 November, the foundation’s board of trustees, chaired by the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, met via videoconference to discuss new projects and the institution’s future.

The foundation’s fifth anniversary, this year, is an opportunity to review its past activities and reflect on the future. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the new challenges it has brought with it, the UEFA Foundation for Children was able to rely on its partners’ commitment to help it safeguard children’s rights.

The most anticipated decision of this session was the allocation of the 2020/21 budget of €4,812,021 to new projects or an extension of existing projects, in line with its mission to protect children’s fundamental rights in health and protection, children with disabilities, education and personal development, access to sport, integration of minorities and protection for victims of conflicts.

Approximately half of the foundation’s budget is earmarked for projects in Europe while the rest supports projects in other continents. In all, 55 projects are supported along with three new pitch constructions in Europe in partnership with Lay’s.

“The Foundation views the pandemic as an opportunity to continue to use the beautiful game of football to assist so many organisations, in Europe and around the world, that focus on the needs of children and help them to keep their hopes and dreams alive. Thanks to the support we and our sponsors provide, children are helped to develop and reach their full potential, with dignity and in full protection of their rights.”

Norman Darmanin Demajo, member of the board of trustees

55 NGO projects were selected for financial support from the UEFA Foundation for Children: 24 in Europe; 16 in Africa; 8 in America, 6 in Asia; and 1 in Oceania.

Organisation	Project Name	in Europe
ActionAid Hellas	Beyond goals 2	Greece
Ayuda en Acción	Fairplay4life	Spain
Barça Foundation	FutbolNet	Greece
Bellevue di Monaco	Intercultural rooftop sports court	Germany
Syndrome of Love	Football for Children with Down Syndrome	Russia
European Football for Development Network (EFDN)	EFDN STEM & Football Education Programme	Bulgaria, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Fondation Arménienne Pour le Développement Durable	Génération Sport	Armenia
Football Association of Moldova	Let’s play outside	Moldova
Foundation Just for Smiles	Smiles for Children	Switzerland
Impala Performance ASBL	Mbo Mpenza Challenge	Belgium
Katamon Moadon Ohadim	Hapoel Katamon’s Neighborhood League	Israel
Kicken Ohne Grenzen	Football Without Borders	Austria
Liverpool School Sport Partnership (LSSP) Foundation	Finding my potential	United Kingdom
Młodzieżowe Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Sportowych (MSIS)	Football3 empower girls	Poland
Oltalom Sport Association	New challenges, new opportunities	Hungary
	Adopt a ball	150 countries worldwide
Peres Center for Peace & Innovation	Sport in the Service of Peace	Israel
Rio Ferdinand Foundation	Youth in Action	Northern Ireland
Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)	Football versus Discrimination	Republic of Ireland
Sport dans la Ville	Vocational Centre	France
Sportske Igre Mladih	Youth Sports Games 2021	Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia
Stichting het Gehandicapte Kind	Bijzondere Eredivisie	Netherlands
streetfootballworld GmbH	Safeguarding children certification programme	Europe
Ukraine Football Development Charitable Foundation	Cup of Trust	Ukraine

Organisation	Project Name	in Africa
Aliguma Foundation	Sports for Resilience & Empowerment Project	Uganda
Georges Malaika Foundation	Future Leaders of Kalebuka	Republic Democratic of Congo
Grootbos Green Futures Foundation	Football Foundation: Sports for Good	South Africa
iACT	Refugee-led sport and early Childhood Education Programme	Chad
Kick4Life	Good Health & Climate Action through Football	Lesotho
La balle aux prisonniers	Sport for reintegration	Ivory Coast
Libre Vue	Solidarité Aveugle	Mali
Light for the World	We are the Champions	South Sudan
Médecins du Monde	Bophelo Ke Kgwele (The game, the Life)	South Africa
Right to Play	Girls on Track	Tanzania
Samusocial International	Promote social inclusion through sport for street children and youth in Pointe-Noire	Republic of Congo
Solidarité Marathon des Sables	Sport Centre in Ouarzazate	Morocco
Street Child	Improving the psychosocial well-being of conflict affected displaced children	Mozambique
Triangle Génération Humanitaire	Strengthen protection, socio-educational activities and social reintegration of vulnerable minors	Central African Republic
Unis vers le Sport	Les gazelles de la Teranga	Senegal
Water4wildlife Maasai Mara	Kick the ball, Save our wildlife	Kenya

Organisation	Project Name	in America
Fabretto Children's Foundation Inc.	Promoting sports to build resilience in rural Nicaragua	Nicaragua
Fight for Peace	Unity & Peace	Jamaica
Fundación Empate	Empate for Argentina	Argentina
Global Outreach And Love of Soccer (GOALS)	Team Goals	Haiti
Johan Cruyff Foundation	A safe space to play for children in Cabreúva, Brazil	Brazil
Mama Alice	Football, fun and friends camp	Peru
Rêves Passion Montreal	Soccer Urbain pour le rêve et l'espoir	Canada
Starfinder Foundation	Senior Leaders	USA

Organisation	Project Name	in Asia
Action for Development	Street children back to school	Afghanistan
Asia Football Development Programme	Kick for hope	Jordan
Baan Dek Foundation	Football4good	Thailand
Cross Cultures Project Association	Bringing Fun Football to Children in Syria	Syria
Fundlife International Inc.	Football for Peace Academy	Philippines
Indochina Starfish Foundation	Playing for Equality	Cambodia

Organisation	Project Name	in Oceania
Just Play	Just Play programme	American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Samoa, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, India

Orama Neon Youthorama "Adopt a ball"

Just Play action at half time. OFC U-17 Championship 2013, Fiji v Papua New Guinea, Luganville Soccer City Stadium, Vanuatu, Sunday 21st April 2013. Photo: Shane Wenzlick

Just Play "Just Play programme"

Grootbos Green Futures Foundation " Football Foundation Sports for Good"

Fabretto Children's Foundation "Promoting sports to build resilience in rural Nicaragua"

Children from all over Europe help design the 2020 UEFA Super Cup match ball

18 children from all over Europe help design the 2020 UEFA Super Cup match ball

18 Children's drawings from ten UEFA Foundation for Children projects will feature on a specially designed match ball for the annual meeting between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League.

When FC Bayern Munich and Sevilla FC contest the 2020 UEFA Super Cup match on 24 September at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, they will use a football covered with 18 different childrens’ drawings.

Children from across the continent were encouraged to submit drawings showing what football meant to them in a contest organised by the UEFA Foundation for Children together with ten partner organisations. The drawings are the work of 18 children from different backgrounds from ten European organisations that work together with the UEFA Foundation for Children.

The winning drawings were selected from over 200 entries by the chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin. Children from nine European countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland) will see their drawings feature on the unique match ball.

Below are some of the winning entries.

Czech Republic

Lea and Marcus showed in their drawings that football is for everyone. They play football with Fotbal Pro Rozvoj, a football programme in the Czech Republic. Lea explains the football they play:

“The fair play football is played in three parts. In the first part, we agree on the rules. For example, when children in a wheelchair score, it counts double.”

Football has taught them that everyone can be part of the game. Lea drew a person in a wheelchair with some other children – showing they can all play football together.

“Fair play football is for everyone, so I wanted to highlight that. And there are no limits for the people, maybe only in their heads, but if they want to play, they can play.”

Marcus likes the team spirit in football. He describes their fair play football tournaments:

“We play fair, most of the time, but sometimes there are fouls, or we have arguments. But most important is teamwork and to score great goals"

Netherlands

Drawings by youngsters Mika (right) and Oscar (left), who are both from s’Hertogenbosch, will appear on the ball. They were part of the Talent Group project run by the Ruud van Nistelrooy Foundation to assist children with their personal development.

Mika: ”At the foundation I had a great time and I have learned how to get better at playing football. The drawing represents a mascot who presents the trophy to the winning team. For me, football isn't always about winning but also the fun we have during the match.”

Oscar: “Football has been an important part of my life for 8 years. Together with my friends winning, and sometimes also losing - they are the the best things about football!”

Portugal

Sara was a member of Brincar de Rua Ludotempo in Portugal, where children play sport in a safe environment.

“My favourite activity is playing football with my friends. For me, football is friendship and unity. I tried to show this with my drawing. It’s a football field with hearts and girls holding hands.“

Spain

Daniela, Yolanda and Patricia from Spain, who all take part in football training with Red Deporte, will see their drawings feature on the ball. The Red Deporte programme encourages young people from local marginalised groups to go to school to improve their academic performance. Daniela (below left) illustrates equality in her drawing:

“The message is this: we can all play football and enjoy the game equally across the world. If you are white, black, disabled, a boy or a girl, and without racist insults or without having to offend a girl because she has played badly. Respect.”

Patricia (middle) illustrates unity, no matter if you win or lose.

“With my drawing I want to say to all people that football unites everyone on an equal basis. We all have to team up to win or know how to lose.”

Yolanda (right) depicts the fun side of football in her drawing:

“It is friendship that is important especially helping each other to play together. It is victory and joy. Football always entertains me. I play with my friends during break times. It is a sport to be played by many and I value everyone's effort, even if some are better than others.”

Switzerland

Malcolm is a member of Autisme Genève and he joined the project ‘La vie en bleu’. By participating in and organising events, and disseminating information, Autisme Genève seeks to engage with the public, inviting people to discover what autism is like.

Malcolm loves football. It helps him interact with other children. When Malcolm is not outside playing football, he loves to draw.

“I combined by passions of drawing and football with this competition. If I want to be alone, I stay at home and draw, but if I want to spend time with my friends, I go outside to play football. On the football pitch I spend the best time. Together with my friends we run, play and have fun."

Other winners from Switzerland include Mia and Fabio, who are members of PluSport, which offers sports activities for children with disabilities. Mia and Fabio play football in one of PluSport’s football teams.

In their winning drawings, they show that everyone can play football, no matter who you are.

To view stories from other winning entries, visit the UEFA foundation website to see drawings from Germany, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia.

The UEFA president and foundation chairman, Aleksander Čeferin, is delighted with the initiative:

I’m sure the children will be thrilled to see their drawings on the Super Cup match ball and to know that stars of our game will be scoring goals with it. It was inspiring to see all the excellent drawings and hear the stories of the children. I hope that the joy they feel by seeing their artwork on the ball for such an important match will motivate them not only to play football, but also to follow their dreams.

- Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Malcom poses for a photo during a UEFA Foundation for children drawing contest for SCUP 2020 photoshoot on September 20, 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

I combined by passions of drawing and football with this competition. If I want to be alone, I stay at home and draw, but if I want to spend time with my friends, I go outside to play football. On the football pitch I spend the best time. Together with my friends we run, play and have fun.

- Malcolm is a member of Autisme Genève

My favourite activity is playing football with my friends. For me, football is friendship and unity. I tried to show this with my drawing. It’s a football field with hearts and girls holding hands.“

- Sara, member of Brincar de Rua Ludotempo in Portugal

2020 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards

The €1 million support for 20 European Children's charities

The spring UEFA Foundation for Children board of trustees meeting was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, our work has continued even during this challenging period and our chairman, Aleksander Čeferin, decided to nominate the 2020 UEFA Foundation for Children awards as planned and additionally grant financial support to the Youth Sports Games, the biggest amateur sports event for children and youth in Europe.

In accordance with the foundation’s status and regulations, the decisions were taken in a written procedure.

2020 UEFA Foundation for Children awards

The foundation has asked the 55 UEFA member associations to nominate charities in their countries according to the following criteria:

All award recipients must be based in the country of a UEFA member association.
Potential recipients must accept and comply with the foundation charter and ethics code.
Potential recipients must have been registered with the relevant national authorities for at least three years and comply with national legal obligations.
The activities carried out by recipients must be aimed at helping vulnerable, deprived or socially excluded children, and must never involve the promotion of talented young footballers.

The Board of Trustees has decided to divide the total funding – €1m – equally between 20 nominees, with the 20 organisations below each receiving a €50,000 grant:

CIO	Associations	NGOs
AUT	Austrian Football Association	SOS-Kinderdorf
BEL	Royal Belgian Football Association	Koninklijke Sporting Club City Pirates
BLR	Belarus Football Association	SOS-Сhildren’s Village Marjina Gorka
CRO	Croatian Football Association	The Croatian Down Syndrome Association
CZE	Football Association of the Czech Republic	Real Top Praha
DEN	Danish Football Association	The danish christmas seal foundation
ENG	English Football Association	Coaches Across Continents Ltd
EST	Estonian Football Association	SOS Children's Village Association of Estonia
GER	German Football Association	In safe hands e.V.
GIB	Gibraltar Football Association	Help Me Learn Africa
ITA	Italian Football Association	Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù
LTU	Lithuanian Football Association	Nemuno krašto vaikai
NIR	Irish Football Association	Irish FA Foundation
POL	Polish Football Association	Hope for Mundial Association
POR	Portuguese Football Federation	Ludotempo – Associação da Promoção do Brincar
RUS	Football Union of Russia	Under the flag of kindness
SCO	Scottish Football Association	Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation
SVN	Football Association of Slovenia	Youth Health and Summer Resort Debeli Rtič
SWE	Swedish football Association	KIF Örebro DFF
UKR	Ukrainian Association of Football	Football Development in Ukraine

Youth Sports Games

The board has decided to allocate €50,000 to this year’s festival, which will be organised as soon as the situation eases up. This event will have a special signification after the Covid-19 pandemic, and we hope it will inspire children and help bring a positive spirit back to the region. The games are held in three countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. In 2019, as many as 202,000 youngsters competed.

Call for projects 2020

The UEFA Foundation for Children will launch a new call for projects from 1 July to 15 August 2020. Applicants from all over the world can submit their projects on our official website, where they can find all the necessary information and the selection criteria in due time. The board of trustees will select projects and announce its decisions at the next meeting in November.

The current health crisis is challenging the world and having devastating effects on the most vulnerable communities. Our partners need our support more than ever in this uncertain period to enable football and education programmes in underserved communities to carry on once the pandemic is over.

- Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children

The foundation celebrates its fifth anniversary

Five years have passed since the UEFA Foundation for Children was established to help european football fulfil its social responsability to support and defend the rights of children all over the world

Football is more than just a game; it is a vehicle for change and a source of hope and possibilities for all children. It can be used to develop important life skills such as communication, teamwork and respect, and provides opportunities to lead, excel and gain confidence.

The projects supported by the foundation use sport, and football in particular, to help support children in precarious situations and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Activities focus on the areas of health, education, access to sport, integration of minorities, personal development and youth employment.

Almost 250 projects reaching a million children

Some one million children have benefitted from the broad range of activities organised or funded by the foundation since it was created in April 2015. Through calls for project and awards, the foundation has provided grants to a total of 245 projects. Half of all funding has been dedicated to projects within Europe.

Helping more children play the beautiful game

A common need identified by the foundation is for safe infrastructure and equipment. The foundation has therefore supported the construction of many football pitches and distributed over 35,000 balls and football kits to schools, children’s institutions and associations. Over 34 tonnes of material from UEFA competitions have been donated to children’s programmes.

Promoting diversity and multiculturalism

The foundation has been able to support projects in 100 countries. Of the one million children who have already benefitted, at least 35% are girls, and the foundation is working to increase this proportion. Football is a powerful means of promoting gender equality and inclusion more broadly, by increasing the participation of minorities in programmes and in society, thereby helping more people to become active citizens.

Making dreams come true

National associations and clubs have helped the foundation bring hope to children and give them reasons to dream. Almost 24,000 children who would otherwise never have had the chance to attend an international football match have been invited to a UEFA competition.

The UEFA Super Cup has been as great stage on which to create awareness of the positive impact football can have. With the help of the participating clubs and their elite players, the foundation has used this stage to demonstrate, once again, that football can play an important role in children’s lives and can change the opportunities of even the most vulnerable.

New challenges

As the world grapples with COVID-19, the resultant health crisis and its social and economic consequences, the foundation continues to do what it can to help the most vulnerable communities and organise responses that are adapted to the needs of each situation. The foundation was the first institutional supporter of the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, set up to support community organisations in their immediate emergency response and longer-term recovery work.

Grateful thanks

The milestone of our fifth birthday is an opportunity for the foundation to thank to the entire football community for the trust that has been shown in us and our work . Special thanks also to our partner NGOs and community organisations for their hard work, day in, day out, implementing our activities and their dedication to protecting children and their universal rights, which is, after all, the purpose of the UEFA foundation.

- Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for children

UEFA Foundation for Children supports Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund

Time for global action, solidarity and collaboration

Less than 24 hours after the creation of the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, the UEFA Foundation for Children decided to support the initiative, making it the fund’s first institutional supporter. It is hoped this investment will send out a clear message of solidarity within the global football community and help Common Goal make a positive impact through its existing network of football charities working with young people in over 100 communities severely affected by the new coronavirus.

The UEFA Foundation for Children provides financial support and services to organisations worldwide that place children rights at the heart of their projects. By supporting the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, the aim is to help to tackle the immediate effects of the pandemic on children and young people and ensure that support continues beyond the initial emergency response, with a focus on deprived communities and conflict settings.

ENGLISH - SERGE GNABRY - VIDEO COMMON GOAL COVID19 RESPONSE

In addition to its COVID-19 Response Fund, Common Goal has also announced the Live Match platform, in which players commit the 90 minutes they are no longer spending on the pitch to create positive outcomes at this challenging time. Manchester United player Juan Mata, the first player to join Common Goal back in 2017, will kick off the first Live Match this evening, Thursday 9 April, at 19:00 CET.

Mata will use his Instagram platform to connect with fans. The Bayern Munich and German international player Serge Gnabry, as well as a football-based community organisation that he is supporting through Common Goal will join. This is a really positive step for the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund.

“Welcome to the team, UEFA Foundation for Children,” Mata said. “To overcome the coronavirus, and the other challenges facing humanity, we need to coordinate individual efforts and work together as a team. I'm urging not only my Common Goal team-mates, but all other players and football leaders around the world to unite and help tackle this crisis, and at the same time use this as a catalyst to play a key role in tackling the other challenges humanity faces. Together we can beat this.”

Common Goal CEO Jurgen Griesbeck said: “In the midst of this crisis, football has the chance to realise its full potential in playing a leading role in shaping the world. Together, with everyone who loves football in support, the sport has a real opportunity to have a positive impact. We are delighted to have the trust and support of the UEFA Foundation for Children.”

How to support the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund

Donations can be made here.

Players who want to join the Common Goal team and pledge to support Common Goal at this critical time can do so at here.

In addition to making donations and joining the Common Goal team, individuals and organisations from the world of football and beyond are encouraged to follow the Common Goal Live Matches, starting with Juan Mata tonight.

In these difficult times, which affect many countries and the most fragile populations especially, it is important to coordinate and organise responses that are adapted to the needs of each situation. It is for this reason that the foundation board decided to join this initiative and allow football to play a role of social responsibility.

- Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president and chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees

About Common Goal

Common Goal currently has almost 150 members who pledge a minimum of 1% of their earnings from football to a global network of high-impact charities that empower disadvantaged young people, primarily through football. Members include players such as Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Morgan, Kasper Schmeichel, Eniola Aluko, Shinji Kagawa, Mats Hummels and Megan Rapinoe, managers such as Jürgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann, and football industry leaders such as the UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin. The movement supports the streetfootballworld network of 135 football-based community organisations uniquely positioned to deliver essential support and services in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic in more than 200 communities across 90 countries, benefitting over 2 million young people.

The UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour 2020 driven by Kia to Zaatari refugee camp

The Europa League Trophy Tour 2020 driven by Kia to Zaatari refugee camp

Kia Motors and UEFA Foundation for Children renew their support for refugee children in the Zaatari camp for the second season

The UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia, is taking one of UEFA’s most prestigious trophies on the road again, visiting local schools, grassroots clubs and pop-up locations in city centres in six new European countries from February to May. Fans will have the opportunity to see the iconic UEFA Europa League trophy up close and meet with footballing legends. For the duration of the tour, fans of all ages will also be encouraged to donate unwanted football boots, which will be taken to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, the final stop on the tour.

The boots will be distributed to children and youngsters participating in the football programmes set up in the camp, to inspire them and enable them to play in better conditions. Furthermore, having the opportunity to see the legendary trophy coveted by the biggest teams in Europe will be an unforgettable experience for many of the camp’s residents.

“My football boots were my gateway to freedom. These opportunities and freedoms, which I often had to fight hard for yet were possible in our society, are what I want to pass on to girls,” said Tugba Tekkal, a young refugee who grew up in Germany.

The UEFA Europa League trophy tour stops in six new European cities, giving fans the opportunity to get close to the trophy and ambassadors:

7/8 February Frankfurt, Germany

21 February Barcelona, Spain

13/14 March Rome, Italy

27/28 March Amsterdam, Netherlands

1/2 May Manchester, UK

15/16 May Warsaw, Poland

25/26 July Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan

A stellar list of former players has signed up to take part: Michael Owen will be the global ambassador of the campaign, and each stop welcomes a local ambassador on board, such as Thomas Berthold in Frankfurt, Eric Abidal in Barcelona and Jerzy Dudek in Warsaw. Other legends will be announced nearer the time.

“UEFA is delighted to have Kia renew its support of the Europa League trophy tour for a second season,” said UEFA’s director of marketing, Guy-Laurent Epstein. “Both organisations have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, and we are extremely proud of this partnership that will bring the tour, trophy and ambassadors to seven countries. Our hope is that the UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia will inspire a new generation to lift the iconic trophy, and that the football boots donated during the tour provide refugee children in Zaatari camp with the resources they need to enjoy playing the game and develop their love of football.”

"We are extremely excited to bring back the UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia for a second year,” said Artur Martins, Vice President Global Brand & Marketing at Kia Motors Corporation.

“This news is testament to the huge success and popularity of the first year of the campaign. Last year, the tour gave football fans of all ages the chance to see the trophy up close and to donate their football boots to a very deserving cause – which proved to be an overwhelming success. This year, we hope to receive even more donations and continue to support the young refugees in playing a sport that they love.”

Boot donations

Boot donations can be made at each stop of the tour, as well as at selected Kia dealerships in certain markets.

Last season, Kia collected an incredible 1,052 pairs of boots. However, there are still around 2,000 children without football boots at Zaatari refugee camp
This year, Kia aims to double the number of boots donated to Zaatari refugee camp to meet this demand
Every fan who donates a pair of boots will be in with a chance of winning an all-expenses-paid trip to the UEFA Europa League final, including flights, accommodation and organised activities.

My football boots were my gateway to freedom. These opportunities and freedoms, which I often had to fight hard for yet were possible in our society, are what I want to pass on to girls.

- Tugba Tekkal, a young refugee who grew up in Germany

REFUGEES ESPORTS CUP: THE FIRST ESPORTS TOURNAMENT IN REFUGEE CAMPS

Refugees eSports Cup: the first eSports tournament in refugee camps

From 26 January to 1 February, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children will hold the first eSport tournament in the Syrian refugee camp of Zaatari in Jordan. This action is supported by Facebook, PlayStation and ArmaTeam.

A refugee spends on average 18 years of her or his life in a camp. Eighteen years without being able to catch up on the news, read or learn well. For that reason, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children are working tirelessly so that the women, men and children from the camp of Zaatari can connect with the world again, overcome boredom, find the assets to foster their resilience and think about their future. By promoting access to sport, education, information and culture, we are committed to giving everyone the capacity to be autonomous, free and to achieve fulfilment.

The camp is located east of Mafraq and has today 60 000 Syrians who fled from the civil war. Libraries Without Borders set up an Ideas Box there three years ago - a mobile media library, in kit form, designed by Philippe Starck. The UEFA Foundation for Children, meanwhile, has been offering for the past five years various sport activities through its house of sport, football pitches and coach education.

For the first time, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children will organize the “Refugees eSports Cup” tournament with the support of Facebook, PlayStation and ArmaTeam in the camp of Zaatari. From 26 January to 1 February, this event will gather 200 teenagers from 10 to 18 - including people with disabilities - who have been training since December ; the final will be held on 31 January and February 1. At the core of this project : social cohesion and entertainment.

VIDEO GAMES, VECTOR OF SOCIAL COHESION
In libraries and museums, video games have also their place. Way ahead of literature, movie and music industry, video games are nowadays the most consumed cultural good in the world.

Provide access to video games in refugee camps, why?
Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children wish to make a positive use of this cultural good for all. To this end, it was meaningful to us to hold this very first eSport tournament in Jordan : video games are a cultural product that refugees should have access to, just like any other. For the time of a match, they will then be able to escape from their daily lives and their hard living conditions.

Video games are first and foremost human. Whether they challenge each other, regardless their stories, the players create a social link, exchange and share with respect. Interactive and inclusive, it brings them entertainment and allows them to escape, tell and create stories. Imagination and creativity are boosted. The player is able to dive into other universes - as a novel or a comic can do - by making her or him the main character of her or his own story. It is a chance to meet each other, to learn the different issues and rules of living together. Finally, with the video games, failure - in all its forms - does not exist: it even constitutes the core of learning. And defeat encourages them to carry on and move forward.

About Librairies Without Borders

Since 2007, Libraries Without Borders has been working tirelessly to bring knowledge to those who are deprived of it - from refugee camps in Bangladesh to rural areas in France - and to make the right to culture a fundamental human right. In thirteen years, the association has reached more than six million people in fifty countries.

Project Partners

42 new UEFA Foundation for Children projects

The foundation is expanding its activities in support of vulnerable children around the world

On Wednesday 20 November, the UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, chaired by the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, met at the House of European Football in Nyon.

One of top items on the agenda was the approval of new projects to be supported by the foundation. The portfolio of projects supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children has grown steadily since it was established in 2015.

On the basis of both the foundation’s basic mandate and overarching strategy and the demands and realities of the world around us, the foundation reinforce its actions in promoting employment through sport, support victims of conflict, and support general development programmes through access to sport, in particular football, in the areas of health, education, personal development and the integration of minorities.

The board of trustees decided at their November meeting how to allocate the foundation’s 2019/20 budget of €4,764,608, with a view to strengthening the foundation’s capacity to act across the globe.

Bearing in mind that half of the foundation’s budget is earmarked for projects in Europe and the other half for projects in other continents, the board allocated the 2019/20 budget to:

42 new projects;
foundation projects associated with UEFA EURO 2020;
five new pitch constructions, in partnership with Lay’s.

The following 42 new projects will benefit from financial support from the foundation:

Partners	Project name	Continent/country
		EUROPE
Asociata Luncsoara Bihorului	Sportfield for children and youngsters	Romania
Associacao de Futebol de Bragança	Street football move	Portugal
Bel endroit pour une rencontre	Raconte moi un match	France
Edwin van der Sar Foundation	Child and parent day	Netherlands
European Football for Development Network	Welcome through football	UK, Ukraine, Cyprus, Germany, Portugal, Netherland
FC Barcelona Foundation	Sport based employability for unaccompanied minors	Southern Spain, Greece (Athens, Lesbos), Italy (Sicily)
Fondation arménienne pour le développement durable	Génération Sport	Armenia
Fundacion Real Madrid	Real Madrid foundation social sports schools in Europe	UK, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania
Hawar help e.V	Scoring girls	Germany
INEX	Football for development in Czech Republic	Czech Republic
Katamon Moadon Ohadim	Neighborhood League HKJFC	Israel
Kicken ohne grenzen	Kicken ohne grenzen	Austria
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine	Health Goals Liverpool	UK
Mentor Management-Entwicklung-Organisation GmbH & Co	Goals for future	Austria
National Paralympic committee of Kazakhstan	Blind football pitch construction	Kazakhstan
Newcastle United Foundation	Active Lives	UK
Save the Children	Score for education	Albania
Streetfootballworld	Play Proud	Europe mainly + worldwide
The Scottish Football Partnership Trust	GoFitba project	Scotland
World at Play	Sport and Play for social integration of refugee children within local communities	Bulgaria
Klitschko Foundation	Success Package	Ukraine
		AFRICA
CCPA	Open fun football school - playing for peace	South Sudan
Busajo Onlus	Sport as education and promotion of equal opportunities for street girls in Sodo	Ethiopia
Inter Futura srl	African Black'n Blue: kids resiliencydevelopment through education and football	Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Uganda
Street Child	Excercising change in Palabek refugee settlement	Uganda
Georges Malaika Foundation	Future leaders of Kalebuka	Democratic Republique of Congo (DRC)
Power for the People	Remba Island education health and nutrition project	Kenya
Samusocial International	Carton rouge à l'exclusion	Burkina Faso
International organisation for migration	Sport for inclusion: football against racism	Tunisia and Maghreb
International Trade Centre	Kick for trade	Guinea, Gambia
		ASIA
Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq	A safe space for displaced Yazidi youth	Iraq
Blue Dragon Children's Foundation	New Futures through sport	Vietnam
Spirit of Soccer	Mine risk education in Cambodia	Cambodia
CIELO - Cooperation Internationale pour les équilibres locaux	Le jeu en vaut la chandelle	Sri Lanka
The Arsenal Foundation	Coaching for life	India
AFDP Global	Kick for hope	Jordan
		OCEANIA
Just Play	Just Play Programme	Cook Island, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Zealand, American Samoa, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu
		AMERICA
Starfinder foundation	Senior leaders	USA
Women Win	La Nuestra Football Club	Argentina
Plan International Belgique	A goal for gender equality	Bolivia
Fabretto children's foundation	Play to learn 2	Nicaragua
Fundacion del Empresariado Chihuahuense A.C	Afterschool program for underserved communities in Chihuahua border state	Mexico

Once again, the number and range of project proposals received by the UEFA Foundation –to foster education, development, inclusion and empowerment – proves how much football inspires and offers hope. The foundation is proud to support these associations and to see how much the beautiful game brings us together, carries us, saves us sometimes and, above all, unites us, ever expanding our horizons.

- Nathalie Iannetta, Board of trustee member

Klitschko foundation GATE_AF_CHERNIGIV_05701

Just Play Festival, Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Saturday 29th August 2015. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.phototek.nz

JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children launch football Social Commerce App aimed to make a difference in children’s lives

JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children launch football Social Commerce App aimed to make a difference in children’s lives.

14 August 2019, Singapore, The JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children is proud to announce the launch of the new UEFA Foundation4Kids social commerce App.

The UEFA Foundation4Kids App incorporates JET8’s Fintech technology to reward users for in-app engagement through JETPoints, social currency users can use to make contributions to the UEFA Foundation for Children. Users of the App receive access to exclusive UEFA Foundation for Children geo-stickers and geo-frames.

The UEFA Foundation for Children believes in the power of football to change the lives of young people. Through sport, particularly football, the foundation helps children by providing support in the areas of health, education, access to sport, personal development, integration and defending the rights of the child.

The JET8 Foundation aims to enable crucial organisations like the UEFA Foundation for Children to succeed digitally. The use of JET8 social technology allows the UEFA Foundation4Kids App to build a digital community, a community that engages and creates memorable moments.

CEO of UEFA Foundation Urs Kluser said:

We are very pleased to collaborate with JET8 as their platform will enable the UEFA Foundation for Children to spread its message, inspire people, and get them to engage across the world. JET8’s technology means making a positive difference in the lives of children is now easy, accessible and fun!

Besides offering communities like the UEFA Foundation4Kids their own Social Commerce platform, JET8 has developed world-class user privacy technology to protect users’ personal data.

JET8’s User Data Exchange Programme facilitates the transaction between a user and third parties whereby a user can opt-in if they want anyone to purchase their personal data directly from them.

Mike Allen, Co-Founder of JET8 said, “The game of football is powerful! It helps kids dream and gives them hope to succeed in life. We are excited to work with the UEFA Foundation for Kids. Through JET8’s technology, we provide a platform for people to engage and spread the great work the foundation is doing world-wide. The App will help the foundation build a new community of influencers and supporters, who will be able to donate to the cause.

Download the UEFA Foundation4Kids App from the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store here: https://uefa4kids.jet8.app, and help children around the world, one sticker at a time!

ABOUT THE JET8 FOUNDATION

With a focus on research and development, the JET8 Foundation is a non-profit technology company that supports the global adoption of decentralised engagement networks together with mobile engagement platform, JET8.

The social media apps available on the JET8 network support authentic and organic peer-to-peer communities, that connect people around their passion points and reward them for their creativity and engagement.

JET8 innovates social engagement technology to enhance accessibility to ensure that anyone, anywhere, can interact and earn from their social influence on a global stage.

The JET8 Foundation was founded in 2018 and is based in Singapore.

For more information, visit http://den.foundation/.

UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation team up to help refugees in Turkey

“Live Together” project for social cohesion between locals and displaced children

Today, behind the scenes of the at the UEFA Super Cup final in Istanbul, the UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation announced their collaboration on the “live together” project in Turkey. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the respective presidents Aleksander Ceferin and Nihat Özdemir.

The Live Together project aims to improve the living conditions of refugees, migrants and host communities. It will facilitate social cohesion by encouraging Turkish children and Syrian child refugees to interact while playing together in safe spaces such as schools, communities centres and clubs. Through sport – and football in particular – those children will learn how to live together. This project seeks to contribute to peaceful coexistence between children and young people from different origins living in Turkey.

The UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation hope to stimulate joy and unity and prevent the occurrence of violence. Football with other recreational and support activities play an important role in helping children and youth respond to the post trauma challenges posed by their displacement, and the impact of conflicts on their lives.

Quote from Nihat Özdemir

TFF is very glad to enter in this project with the Foundation and to contribute to helping children and youth to respond to numerous challenges. Football is a great unifier and can help children to learn to live together and improve their lives. TFF Looking forward to the mutual cooperation and will do its best for the success of the project.

Quote from Aleksander Ceferin

When a child plays football, he gets lost in the game. Football enables them to be children and dream big. We are pleased to partner with the Turksih Football Federation to use football as a tool to unite cultures and establish mutual understanding and respect.

Project partner

http://www.tff.org

Amputee kids stand for equality at Super Cup final

Any dream can become true if you truly believe

Since it was established in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has become a key presence at the UEFA Super Cup, demonstrating that football, and sport in general, has a positive impact on children and can change the outlook of even the most vulnerable.

This year in Istanbul, at the opening ceremony, a mixed choir of amputee kids from the Turkish Sports Federation for the Physically Disabled and the singers of the Turkish Radio and Television’s polyphonic children’s choir, will perform Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’.

The support of the players of Liverpool and Chelsea will highlight that football leaves no one aside, a strong message of integration, solidarity and hope. The youngsters will have the chance to meet players from both teams and kick a few balls around.

UEFA’s president and the chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children, Aleksander Čeferin, will also promote this message during the cup ceremony, where he will be accompanied by Ali Turganbekov, a young Kazak boy with no legs, who has a passion for football and dreams of becoming a Paralympic champion.

“The children from the choir and Ali Turganbekov demonstrate that strong beliefs in their dreams can help them overcome many obstacles,” said Aleksander Čeferin. “We pay respect to all disabled children in football or other sports, who give their best and lead an active lifestyle. We hope they will motivate many others to follow their example. Moments like this can make all the difference.”

Mr Arif Ümit Uztürk , the president of the Turkish Sports Federation for the Physically Disabled added:

“We are very happy that the UEFA Super Cup Final will be held in our country and to see our amputee football players take part in this event. On 14 August, we will experience one of the best examples of the unifying power of football. We welcome the teams, spectators and all guests for the UEFA Super Cup Final."

Kick for Trade – UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC team up for youth social inclusion

Kick for Trade - UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC team up for youth social inclusion

New pilot initiative harnesses football to boost youth employment and inclusive development

Today, at the 53rd Joint Advisory Group session of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC announced their joint involvement in ‘football for development’ programmes in Guinea and The Gambia. The letter of intent was signed by UEFA Foundation for Children secretary general Urs Kluser and International Trade Centre executive director Arancha González.

Globally, over 59 million young people are unemployed and nearly 136 million are working yet living in poverty. Youth access to decent employment opportunities and their potential for creating their own enterprises are often hindered by external factors, such as a skills mismatch or a lack of access to financing. These barriers prevent them from utilising their skills, having their voices heard, and actively shaping an environment of decent work and successful trade.

Sport, and football in particular, is increasingly recognised as an effective tool for community development and addressing social issues. Football for development programmes provide people from different backgrounds with the skills and resources to actively make a difference in their own lives and in their community. By addressing the most pressing issues in each community, the programmes contribute to positive social change.

With youth employability at the forefront of their strategic agendas, the ITC and the UEFA Foundation will this year focus on football for development and youth empowerment activities. The Kick for Trade initiatives in this letter of intent will offer innovative, result-oriented approaches to shape youth entrepreneurship and employment through sport, and particularly football.

Announcing the new partnership ITC Executive Director Arancha González said: “Through Kick for Trade, ITC and the UEFA Foundation aim ensure that youth are part of the game and are resources to be taken seriously. In Guinea and the Gambia, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have fun while learning new skills, and that vocational training, entrepreneurship and football can be a winning formula.’

UEFA Foundation for Children’s secretary general, Urs Kluser said: “Football for development programmes comprise messages and methodologies that reinforce social and economic inclusiveness for youth in many countries. This partnership will allow both the UEFA Foundation and the ITC to keep the ball rolling for the benefit of young people.”

The initial focus of this partnership will be on country-based approaches that take local dynamics and networks into account and that scale up activities together with local incubators, youth associations and youth centres.

Through Kick for Trade, ITC and the UEFA Foundation aim ensure that youth are part of the game and are resources to be taken seriously. In Guinea and the Gambia, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have fun while learning new skills, and that vocational training, entrepreneurship and football can be a winning formula.

- Arancha González, ITC Executive Director

International Trade Centre (ITC)

Project partner

About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

FedEx Express and UEFA Foundation for Children support young footballers in Poland