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 Türkiye

“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 Türkiye. 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 Türkiye.

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.

Winners of 2019 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards announced

Awards go to 22 European organisations supporting disadvantaged children

On 29 May 2019, the Board of Trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met in Baku – under the stewardship of its chairman, Aleksander Čeferin.

During the session, the board members selected the 2019 UEFA Foundation for Children award winners. Since 2015, this price is rewarding the great work of charity foundations or associations safeguarding the rights of vulnerable children. For the third time, it was decided to involve the 55 UEFA member associations to nominate charity organisations from their own country in accordance with 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.
UEFA member associations whose nominated charity received funding as part of the 2018 Foundation for Children Awards will not be given priority in 2019.

Award presentation video.

A total of 26 national associations submitted nominations, four of which had already received support from the foundation in 2018. The Board of Trustees decided to divide the total amount of funding available – €1m – equally between the remaining nominees, with the 22 organisations below each receiving a €45’500 grant:

National association	Recipient organisation
Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation	Foundation for development and improvement of sports and recreational activities
Bulgarian Football Union	Football Club Tang RA
Croatian Football Federation	The Ivan Štark centre for education and rehabilitation
Danish Football Association	DIF get2sport
German Football Association	LitCam
Royal Spanish Football Federation	Red Deporte y Cooperacíon
Football Association of Ireland	The Down Syndrome Centre
Football Association of the Czech Republic	Safety Line
Football Federation of Ukraine	Football Development in Ukraine
Hellenic Football Federation	Mazi gia to Paidi
Hungarian Football Federation	Janos Farkas
Irish Football Association	Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issuses
Italian Football Association	Special Olympics Italia
Football Federation of Kosovo	The Ideas Partnership
Malta Football Association	St Joseph Home
Football Association of Moldova	Dinamo Plus
Football Association of Serbia	KMF Mungosi
Swiss Football Association	Pro Juventus
Swedish Football Association	Heart United
English Football Association	Colour Blind Awareness CIC
Football Union of Russia	Unity
Football Association of Wales	Cardiff City FC Community

After the selection, Urs Kluser, the foundation’s general secretary said: “We are very pleased to use the UEFA Foundation for Children awards to support great European charity organisations put forward by our member associations. We have awarded grants to 22 organisations that help vulnerable children live a better life. A total of €3 million has been granted over the last three years.”

2019 call for projects

The UEFA Foundation for Children will launch a new call for projects on July 1st, 2019 for a period of 1 month. Applicants from all over the world have the possibility to submit their projects on our official website, where all the necessary information and the selection criteria will be published. The board of trustees will decide on projects and announce its decisions at their next meeting in November.

We are very pleased to use the UEFA Foundation for Children awards to support great European charity organisations put forward by our member associations. We have awarded grants to 22 organisations that help vulnerable children live a better life. A total of €3 million has been granted over the last three years.

- Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the Foundation

Football in More - Liechtenstein - team photo

Football Is More - Liechtenstein

Amp Futbol Polska - Poland

UEFA Foundation for Children board meet in Baku

The board of trustees pursues continuity

The UEFA Foundation for Children board meeting took place today in Baku, at the invitation of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, ahead of the UEFA Europa League final.

After the first four-year term of office since the board of trustees was elected, in Vienna on 23 March 2015, this session included elections in accordance with Article 8 of the foundation’s charter.

All board members had expressed their wish to be re-elected for a new four-year term. Aleksander Čeferin was re-elected chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

The members of board of trustees are:

Aleksander Čeferin UEFA President and UEFA Foundation for Children Chairman

Kairat Boranbayev President, KazakhstanNational Paralympic Committee

Peter Gilliéron Chairman, UEFA Fair Play and CSR committee

Greg Clarke Chairman, English Football Association

Norman Darmanin Demajo President, Malta Football Association

Nathalie Iannetta TV journalist and partner at Agence 2017

Wladimir Klitschko Former boxer and founder of the Klitschko Foundation

Kevin Lamour Deputy General Secretary, UEFA

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus President and founder, Louis Dreyfus Foundation

Elkhan Mammadov General Secretary, Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan

Fiona May Italian Olympic Committee and former British-Italian athlete

Snežana Samardžić-Marković Council of Europe Directorate General of Democracy

Aleksander Čeferin declared, “I am very pleased that the board members are committed to sharing their time, expertise and enthusiasm for a new term of office. We will continue to focus our efforts on using football to improve the lives of children and help disadvantaged communities by giving them the opportunity to play football, develop life skills, become actors in their lives, and break the poverty spiral.”

During the meeting, the members expressed their willingness to focus on post-conflict issues in Europe and increase the support for young migrants and unaccompanied children. The idea is to extend and replicate the knowledge and experience gained over the years in the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan. Various projects are now being considered in Greece and Türkiye.

A second focus will be employability projects for young migrants and vulnerable youngsters in Europe. The under-25 unemployment rate in the European Union is 15%, and much higher for young people living in poverty or school dropouts. Sport can be used as a method to teach and improve knowledge and skills, including teamwork, perseverance, responsibility and vocational and organisational skills. The foundation is already working with various partners on these projects.

The foundation will launch a new one-month call for projects on 1 July 2019. Applicants can submit projects on the foundation’s official website, where they will find all the necessary information and selection criteria. The board of trustees will announce its decisions at its next meeting in November.

Finally, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, generously donated €75’000 in support to the projects of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 29: UEFA Foundation for Children Board meeting on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Harold Cunningham - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

All-girl player mascot line-up for 2019 UEFA Europa League final in Baku

All-girl player mascot line-up for 2019 UEFA Europa League final in Baku

22 LOCAL GIRLS TO ACCOMPANY PLAYERS OUT ONTO THE PITCH IN AZERBAÏJAN

FedEx Express, official sponsors of the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Foundation for Children and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) are offering 22 local girls a dream opportunity at this year’s UEFA Europa League final in Baku.

Those children – who will be chosen by the AFFA, an organisation that strives to involve girls in football – will escort the two teams out onto the pitch at the Baku Olympic Stadium on 29 May.

“We’ve worked closely with the UEFA Foundation for Children to shape a long-term collaboration that maximises possibilities for young people through football. As sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, we are delighted to be able to extend support for the work of the Foundation, and of AFFA, by helping to make an all-girl player mascot group a possibility in Baku,” said Brenda McWilliams-Piatek, vice president, Marketing Operations, FedEx Express Europe.

The AFFA is currently working with 35 schools, running football activities for children three times a week. The association’s grassroots department has also established several initiatives aimed specifically at girls. Coaches from the country’s national women’s league are encouraged to get involved in youth programmes, and free courses are run three times a year to train additional coaches for children’s football.

“Football offers many opportunities in terms of social integration and well-being, benefiting both boys and girls alike. For many of the girls who are enrolled in our programmes, playing football helps to break down barriers by fostering inclusion and equality. Having these young girls act as player mascots at the UEFA Europa League final will make them visible on an international stage, and I think the sense of pride will be almost palpable,” said Elkhan Mammadov, general secretary of the AFFA and board member of UEFA Foundation for Children

“Together with FedEx Express, we have delivered multiple projects that – under the umbrella of children’s rights – use football as a powerful tool to improve the lives of children. By donating player mascot places to organisations such as the AFFA, we are offering them a platform on which to showcase the tremendous headway they are making in involving young girls in football in Azerbaijan,” said Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

Since becoming a sponsor of the UEFA Europa League in 2015, FedEx Express has consistently worked with the UEFA Foundation for Children to donate player mascot places to youth organisations in cities hosting the final of the competition.

LINK to the presentation of the FedEx player mascots in Baku

“We’ve worked closely with the UEFA Foundation for Children to shape a long-term collaboration that maximises possibilities for young people through football. As sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, we are delighted to be able to extend support for the work of the Foundation, and of AFFA, by helping to make an all-girl player mascot group a possibility in Baku”

- Brenda McWilliams-Piatek, vice president, Marketing Operations, FedEx Express Europe.

“Football offers many opportunities in terms of social integration and well-being, benefiting both boys and girls alike. For many of the girls who are enrolled in our programmes, playing football helps to break down barriers by fostering inclusion and equality. Having these young girls act as player mascots at the UEFA Europa League final will make them visible on an international stage, and I think the sense of pride will be almost palpable.”

- Elkhan Mammadov, general secretary of the AFFA and board member of UEFA Foundation for Children

About Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan

Project partner

The Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) was established in March 1992. AFFA was affiliated to UEFA at the 22nd UEFA Congress in Vienna in May 1994 and FIFA at the 49th FIFA Congress in Chicago in June 1994. The main goals of AFFA are to develop football in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, control and regulate the organization of football competitions, organize football competitions, manage international football related issues, develop a perspective plan for football development in Azerbaijan, represent Azerbaijani football in international organizations and competitions, organize national and international competitions, and so on. AFFA purposefully operates to implement these provisions reflected in its Statutes.

About FedEx Corp.

Project Partner

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $69 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit http://about.fedex.com

UEFA Foundation and FedEx Express to focus on Football for Employability in Europe

Co-funded programme will equipe Community organisations to deleaver football-based employability programme

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the UEFA Foundation for Children today announce a co-funded community project that will use football as a tool to attract and engage young adults in employability programs.
A charitable grant, awarded under community investment platform FedEx Cares and matched by UEFA Foundation for Children, will build the capacity of local sports organisations to structure and deliver football-based employability programs in their communities.

The project will be overseen by global non-profit streetfootballworld and delivered on the ground by network member organisations in four locations - Policy Centre for Roma and Minorities (Romania), the Oltalom Sport Association (Hungary) and Sport Against Racism (Ireland) and Sport 4 Life (UK).

“Due to its universal popularity, football gives community organisations a wide reach and provides a common platform to engage with young people who face challenging circumstances,” said Dr. Vladimir Borkovic, director, streetfootballworld. “This program will equip sports organisations with the tools to guide young people who are furthest from the job market into education, training and, ultimately, sustainable employment.”

The program includes personal development workshops that aim to promote self-confidence and job-seeking skills and training that offer an overview of the local job market and how to gain access to it. Finally, the programs will provide access to training opportunities, formal qualifications, and job placements that present an opportunity to secure sustainable employment.
“FedEx Express is eager to make the most of the possibilities we have, as a sponsor, to deliver positive impact in communities touched by professional tournaments,” said Brenda McWilliams-Piatek, vice president, Marketing Operations, FedEx Express Europe.

“We’ve worked closely with the UEFA Foundation for Children to shape a football-based employability program that we hope will deliver a tangible benefit in communities where employability of young adults is a pressing challenge.”
“This new phase in our collaboration perfectly balances our own focus area of children’s rights – the right to an education, the right to play – and combines this with FedEx Express’ interest in employability,” said Urs Kluser, UEFA Foundation for Children.

“We’re equally excited to see how football can be used in the context of employability, opening up increased opportunities for young people who may not see an obvious path to employment.”
FedEx Express has collaborated on community projects with the UEFA Foundation for Children since becoming a sponsor of the UEFA Europa League in 2015.

About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is the world's largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date supported by 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 revenues of $69 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit http://about.fedex.com

About streetfootballworld
streetfootballworld is the world’s leading organisation in the field of football for good. Over the past 15 years, the streetfootballworld network has been created and developed to identify, connect and empower community organisations that are using football as a tool for social transformation and enable them to maximise their impact. The streetfootballworld network currently consists of 131 network members that, together, reach over two million people in 86 countries.

For more than one decade, streetfootballworld has been implementing social impact strategies in cooperation with a wide range of partners – from FIFA and UEFA to sponsors, governments and private partners – and is behind some of the biggest innovations in the field of football for development, such as Common Goal. streetfootballworld’s impact has been recognised with a variety of awards from prestigious organisations, such as Laureus, UEFA and the World Economic Forum.

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

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 and 40 women have become certified football coaches.

Today, HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will return to officially open the girls-only pitch in Zaatari, having inaugurated the first pitch in 2017. Azraq will also welcome special guests for an official opening ceremony, including UEFA Foundation for Children general secretary Urs Kluser and PepsiCo Middle East and North Africa (MENA) snacks director Mazen Al Masri, who will meet members of the community and local certified football coaches.

These new football pitches have been designed to help create an everyday environment where youngsters can enjoy recreational time and remain children even in wartime. The new girls-only facility in Zaatari meets a growing need to promote girls’ participation in sports activities at the camp, while supervised sports activities at both camps will help reduce tensions, encourage dialogue and improve conflict resolution and well-being.

- Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president

When children enter these football pitches, they dare to dream big. They are football players, defenders, strikers, goalkeepers, referees and fans, having a good time while learning how to play in a team. In many, lasting ways, their lives will be transformed well beyond that last whistle blow.

- HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, AFDP founder and chairman

The Arab world is united in its love for football, and the Zaatari project enables young people to live out their passion and bond over the camaraderie the sport inspires. PepsiCo is proud to be part of this initiative with the AFDP and the UEFA Foundation for Children, in line with our Performance with Purpose strategy to do business in a way that benefits the communities we live and work in.

- PepsiCo’s MENA snacks director, Mazen Al Masri

Lay’s, a PepsiCo brand, has been an official partner of the UEFA Champions League since 2015. It has a long-standing relationship with football around the world, having developed several initiatives to promote the sport throughout the Arab world in addition to its UEFA Champions League partnership. Lay’s has also replaced areas of wasteland with football pitches in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as screening UEFA Champions League matches free in youth centres and other locations in both countries.

UEFA Foundation for Children–AFDP collaboration

Project partner

Since 2013, the AFDP and the UEFA Foundation for Children have been organising regular football training sessions and workshops at the camp for displaced persons in Syria, particularly for children, who are the most vulnerable victims of war. This long-term collaboration has given rise to many different projects that use sport, especially football, as a platform for social development. Football continues to play a pivotal role in helping refugees respond to the challenges of their displacement and the impact the conflict has had on their lives, by giving them a fun, healthy team-work based outlet, in which they can build friendships and regain a sense of normality and hope. Additionally, the UEFA Foundation for Children–AFDP collaboration has trained 287 refugees, 190 men and 97 women, to become coaches for over 6,800 Syrian youngsters, 4,150 boys and 2,650 girls. The coaches, in turn, have launched their own football league at the camp and hope to establish a football club in the near future.

About PepsiCo

Project Partner

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – the fundamental belief that the company’s success is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. It believes that continuously improving the products it sells, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and its shareholders. For more information, visit http://www.pepsico.com/.

Building an inclusive future for visual impaired children

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 the chance to meet players from both teams and share their mutual love of football ahead of the match.

“It’s the first time our students have been involved in such a big project, and I am very happy,” said Erki Korp, head of Tallinna Heleni Kool. “Mentalities towards persons with disabilities are changing very slowly in Estonian society. An event like this will raise awareness of the problems faced by blind children in our society, and people will start to talk about it, which is very important in bringing about positive change.”

“The UEFA Super Cup is an important event for the UEFA Foundation for Children, where we can make a link between professional football and local children,” said Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children. “Football is a game of passion that builds bridges between people. No matter who you are or where you come from, you have a part to play in the world of football.”

Note:

The UEFA Foundation for Children launched a new call for projects on 13 August. Applicants have one month to submit details of their projects. All the necessary information and the selection criteria are published on the online platform. The board of trustees will decide on projects and announce its decisions before the end of 2018.

Additional information:

High-resolution videos and images relating to this press release can be found in the newsroom.

Follow the UEFA Foundation for Children on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.

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

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 in a Box initiative uses a shared interest in football to open up new possibilities for individuals and communities around the world,” said Américo Pereira Filho, vice-president of operations for FedEx Express Brazil.
The installation of the pitch was overseen by global charity streetfootballworld and its network member love.fútbol. The non-profit organisation Pazear, based in Olinda, has developed a programme of activities to ensure sustainable use of the pitch by the community. These activities are based on the Football3 methodology that uses the game to promote communication, fair play, and respect among players, while also instilling a sense of responsibility and ambition in aspiring young footballers.

“We are inspired by our friends in Rio Doce and proud of our community-driven approach to this collaboration with FedEx Express, the UEFA Foundation for Children, streetfootballworld, and Pazear. All communities have the power to be agents of their own change. This project is an important step in using sport for social development,” said Drew Chafetz, CEO and co-founder of love.fútbol.
The community welcomed the arrival of the pitch and took part in the early construction stages, planting trees, painting tyres and transporting materials to help lay the groundwork at an event coordinated by love.fútbol. FedEx Express teams from Jaboatão dos Guararapes also volunteered, painting walls and benches, removing debris and cleaning.

Brazil is the fourth country to receive a Field in the Box pitch, after Spain, Poland, and South Africa. Field in a Box is funded by FedEx Cares, a global social responsibility platform committed to investing $200 million in 200 communities around the world by 2020.

Read the project file here.

Match for Solidarity helps disabled children around the globe

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 as set out by the United Nations.

“I am delighted that both fans and football legends were able to come together to raise money for good causes and help those in need,” said the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin. “We are in a privileged position and we must use this to help children living in challenging and difficult circumstances around the world.”

A total of €605,000 was raised and is being allocated by the UEFA Foundation for Children to humanitarian and development projects selected by a committee of representatives from UEFA, the United Nations Office in Geneva and the Fondation du Stade de Genève. The objective was to support initiatives that use sport, and football in particular, as a way to protect the rights and promote inclusion of disabled children in our societies.

“Solidarity is key to creating a fairer world for everybody,” said Michael Moller, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva. “This Match proved it one more time, by bringing together stakeholders of International Geneva to help reduce inequalities – Sustainable Development Goal number 10 – and to support projects for children with mental and physical disabilities worldwide. Together, our actions can produce results and have an impact in people’s lives; we need to put aside our differences and focus on our mutual goal to create a world of opportunities.”

At local level, support is being given to an awareness campaign run by Autisme Genève, an association that promotes a better understanding of people living with autism and an appreciation of diversity in society. The non-profit organisation was founded in Geneva in 2007 on the initiative of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.

At international level, the approved projects are:

Blind soccer in Bamako (Mali): A project run by Libre Vue since 2012 to give the visually impaired greater opportunities to play football.

Everyone invited to the pitch! (Argentina): Run by Asociación Civil Andar in the Moreno district of Buenos Aires for over 20 years, this project fosters the development of people living with mental disabilities through employment, sport, arts culture and health initiatives.

Inclusive sports for peace (Sri Lanka): This project, run by local NGOs und supervised by Handicap International, is active in the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara and helps young people living with physical disabilities by ensuring sport is available to all and by promoting social cohesion.

“We are pleased that the momentum and support we received from the Match for Solidarity event has allowed us to assist programmes that improve the lives of children across four continents,” said Pascal Torres, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children. “Children living with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and therefore need more support to have their basic rights respected, including access to education, sports and leisure activities.”

The UEFA Foundation for Children would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of this fantastic event: UEFA, the United Nations Office at Geneva, the city and canton of Geneva, the Fondation du Stade de Genève, as well as the fans, players, referees and donors, and everyone else who helped make the first Match For Solidarity a great success.

For high-resolution videos and images relating to this media release, visit the newsroom.

You can also follow the UEFA Foundation for Children on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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