AUTISM – THE EARLY SIGNS A web documentary about early identification of the signs of autism

AUTISM – THE EARLY SIGNS

A web documentary about early identification of the signs of autism

What are the signs of autism? How do you spot them and then what do you do?

This project is supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children which, in 2015, awarded its entire annual prize of CHF 1 million to the International Foundation of Applied Disability Research (FIRAH). Thanks to close collaboration with numerous partners, including national and international associations for autistic children and their families, and universities in various European countries, an initial project, ‘çATED pour tes dents’, was carried out in 2018. Now, the web documentary, ‘Autism – the early signs’ aims to teach parents, as well as health, education and early years professionals, to quickly spot the signs of autism in children from the age of 12 months and upwards.

Combining motion design and real-life images, this interactive film immerses the viewer in the life of two fictitious characters, Jules and Leïla, at three stages of their development: from 12 to 24 months at home, from 24 to 36 months in nursery and, finally, from 36 months in kindergarten.

The European web documentary ‘Autism – the early signs’ also presents the different perspectives of researchers, associations and professional experts in the field, as well as parents, through a mix of interviews, personal accounts and advice.

The documentary is available in French and English.

Between 1% and 2% of today’s population have autism. A tool for parents and early years professionals, the documentary is designed to inform them, raise their awareness of the signs that could lead to an early diagnosis and enable them to put in place measures to support the child’s development.

‘Autism – the early signs’ is a web documentary directed by Benjamin Laurent and Claire Martin and produced by FIRAH in collaboration with the association Autisme France and the Centre de Ressources Autisme Rhône-Alpes (Rhône-Alpes autism resources centre).

The web documentary is release on the 2 April to mark World Autism Awareness Day. (www.autisme-les-premiers-signes.org)

 

The UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour Driven by Kia will visit eight cities with a goal of collecting football boots for refugees.

The UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour driven by Kia will visit eight cities with a goal of collectiong football boots for refugees

Kia Motors and UEFA Foundation are launching the inaugural UEFA Europa League trophy tour and adds a solidarity dimension

The tour will give football fans across Europe the opportunity to see the iconic UEFA Europa League trophy as the competition's 2018/19 knockout stage unfolds.

Throughout the duration of the UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour, fans and players of all ages will be encouraged to donate used and unwanted boots. In partnership with the UEFA Foundation for children, the boots will be taken to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan to be given to Syrian refugees of all ages. What's more, every fan who donates a pair of boots will be in with a chance of winning tickets to the UEFA Europa League final, among other prizes. Boot donations can be made at any stage of the UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour, as well as at selected Kia dealerships in each participating country.

"I have seen first-hand just how much football means to the children and adults at the Zaatari refugee camp," said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, also chairman of UEFA Foundation’s board of trustees.

"The UEFA Foundation helped to provide pitches for the refugees to use, but what is lacking are football boots. Therefore, I urge anyone who has a pair of suitable footwear lying around, which they are not using, to donate them and help make a difference."

The UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour Driven by Kia begins in earnest at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday 5 March and will end on 16 May, ahead of the UEFA Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The tour stops in eight major European cities:

  • Geneva – 9 March
  • Seville – 22-23 March
  • Berlin – 29-30 March
  • London – 5-6 April
  • Milan – 12 April
  • Moscow – 20 April
  • Paris – 10 May
  • Baku – 16 May

A stellar list of former players has signed up to take part; among those to have confirmed their participation in at least one tour leg are Lothar Matthäus, Deco, Andrés Palop and Eiður Guðjohnsen.

"We are delighted with the enthusiasm Kia is showing, especially with their desire to try and reach out to fans throughout Europe and their willingness to give something back to those who want to play the beautiful game but lack the necessary equipment to do so" said Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Events SA marketing director.

Kia has the honour of conducting an inaugural tour. "We are extremely excited to launch the 2019 UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour Driven by Kia, in partnership with UEFA," said Yong-Won Cho, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Kia Motors Corporation.

 

"Not only will the tour give football fans of all ages the chance to see the famous trophy up close, but thanks to their donations we are able to help make a positive contribution to the lives of young refugees who share our passion for the beautiful game. On behalf of Kia I would like to extend our thanks in advance to everyone who supports the campaign and helps by donating football boots."

- Yong-Won Cho, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Kia Motors Corporation.

UEL Trophy Tour KIA
Deco at UEL Trophy tour

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

Employability

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.

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.

FedEx - Purple_Orange

#Morethanfootball Action Weeks 2019

#Morethanfootball Action Weeks 2019

After the success of the previous #Morethanfootball campaign, the European Football for Development Network today launched its third #Morethanfootball Action Weeks. Since its inception, the foundation has supported the campaign, which aims to highlight the social responsibility of football on and off the field.

Between 19 March and 9 April 2019, organisations, football federations, leagues and clubs are encouraged to showcase the game’s power and demonstrate the significant positive impact that European football can have on people’s lives. The campaigns can take a variety of forms. For instance, during home games, in matchday programmes or on LED walls. The organisations are also encouraged to showcase their social programmes on their websites and through their social media channels.

For more than two weeks, the foundation will work in close collaboration with the organisations it supports to raise awareness about the positive impact of football on promoting the fundamentals rights of children. Specific themes such as health, education, gender equality, racism and environmental sustainability will be aired on the foundation’s social networks with the #Morethanfootball hashtag. In addition, the foundation will help to take the campaign’s core message to a broader audience by using LED boards at the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, showing that football is more than a game, more than a sport.

Campaign schedule:

TUE 19/3              Launch of the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks and #PassItOnVideo

THU 21/3             Environmental sustainability

FRI 22/3               World Water Day

SAT 23/3              Education

MON 25/3           Supporting refugees

TUE 26/3             EFDN #Morethanfootball conference, London

WED 27/3            Promoting gender equality

FRI 29/3               Anti-racism and anti-discrimination

TUE 2/4                Intellectual disabilities (World Autism Awareness Day)

THU 4/4               Employability

SAT 06/4              International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

SUN 7/4                World Health Day

MON 8/4              Fighting homophobia, biphobia and transphobia

TUE 9/4                Ending poverty and hunger

Foundation backing 45 new projects

The UEFA Foundation for Children continues to show total commitment in fulfilling its mission on behalf of children across Europe and beyond.

The UEFA Foundation for Children continues to show total commitment in fulfilling its mission on behalf of children across Europe and beyond.

Last September, the UEFA Executive Committee decided to allocate additional funding of 3 million for the 2018/19 financial year for the foundation to support humanitarian projects.

At its recent meeting, the Foundation's board of trustees selected and approved 45 new projects for 2018/19, in which the body will be carrying out its key objective to help children – through sport and football in particular – by providing backing primarily in the areas of health, education, access to sport, personal development, integration and defending the rights of the child.

The projects, which cover a wide variety of relevant areas and activities, reflect the determination of UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin – who is chairman of the foundation – to intensify the invaluable and groundbreaking work that has been taking place. "Our foundation plays an instrumental role in aiding children living in challenging and difficult conditions around the world," said Mr Čeferin.

Between the time that Mr Čeferin was elected as the foundation's chairman in November 2017 and today, a total of 82 projects in Europe and elsewhere have been added to the foundation's portfolio, with a total of 180 initiatives supported since the foundation was launched in 2015.

Many non-profit organisations that share the foundation's values responded to a call for projects issued during summer 2018.

In selecting 45 new projects, the board of trustees decided that half of the increased funding should be allocated to European projects, and the other half to projects in the rest of the world.

Careful planning and management are strengthening the foundation's development strategies and expanding the range of its work. "It has been a great pleasure to be able to participate in the selection of the projects," said board of trustees member Fiona May.

"Hopefully we can reach and help as many children around the world to give them opportunities as well as education thanks to sport."

 

 

 

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

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

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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

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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

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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

AFDP-logo

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

LOGO_s

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/.

Football provides new prospects for Estonian children

For the second year in a row, the NGO SPIN has received a UEFA Foundation for Children Award on a recommendation from the Estonian Football Association.

During a trip to Tallinn, we received a warm welcome from the CEO of SPIN, Keit Fomotškin. “It means a lot to us to receive a UEFA Foundation for Children Award,” he said. “Recognition from outside Estonia is very important for our team of coaches who work with the kids every day. The award will enable us to expand our programme and involve more participants.”

The youngsters who attend the SPIN-programme come from difficult social backgrounds and have been identified in collaboration with social workers, local authorities and schools.

SPIN believes in the potential of every child to become a good citizen. By playing football in a safe and motivating environment, youngsters learn the positive values of team sport that can be replicated in everyday life. The programme aims to combat youth criminality, lower school dropout rates and increase the number of young people in skilled labour, while providing them with alternative ways to spend their time.

Three times a week, the children meet for a 90-minute training session under the guidance of professional football coaches and assistant coaches. These sessions focus on sports and different skills needed in life and are intended to give them a better knowledge of social values and develop their social behaviour in parallel to their performance in sport. They also develop social skills, such as effective communication, conflict resolution and setting personal goals.

Assistant coach Laura Karpova usually trains the girls. “Women’s football is not very popular in Estonia,” she said. “The SPIN-programme is flexible and we also focus on other activities to reach our goals with girls. For example, they like drawing.”

Angelina (17) and Inna (15) are two active programme participants, both of whom love football and like getting together with their teammates. Angelina in particular really likes the team spirit in the programme. Sometimes she gets to be captain. She likes playing tournaments and is motivated to win.

The children’s development is assessed by measuring their rate of participation and discipline in the activities, as surveyed by the coaches, as well as their grades and behaviour at school.

After the first year, the programme’s impact speaks for itself:

  • 8% improvement in their school results
  • 6% improvement in their behaviour at school
  • 19% improvement in activity, participation and discipline
  • 18% decrease in readiness to engage in risk behaviour
  • 12% improvement in self-control
  • 95% of the participants rate the programme as either good or excellent

 

Thanks to the foundation’s support, the programme was launched in Tartu. Furthermore, it has helped make reaching target group children more effective. The funding also covers equipment and materials and the summer camp in 2018.

SPIN currently involves over 250 active participants aged 10 to 18 – 83% boys and 17% girls. The programme partners 45 different schools in the Estonian municipalities of Tallinn, Tartu, Rakvere, Kohtla-Järve and Narva.

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.

UEFA Foundation for Children launches 2018 call for projects

On 13 August, the UEFA Foundation for Children launched its 2018 call for projects that seek to promote children’s fundamental rights across the globe.

This call for projects is aimed at any organisation that shares the values of the UEFA foundation and proposes practical measures to help children, in particular in the areas of access to sport, health, education, employment, personal development and supporting vulnerable children.

Applications are invited from organisations anywhere in the world. Support is not limited to projects within Europe

The UEFA Foundation for Children will examine and evaluate each project. The final decision on the selection of projects will be taken by the board of trustees in accordance with the foundation’s statutes and ethics code.

Specific conditions relating to funding are provided in the project criteria.

To submit your project, click on this link. The application deadline is 14 September 2018.

Candidates will be notified of the progress of their application by the end of 2018.

2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Award for Ampu Kids in Germany

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

Ampukids is a German project that assists amputee children. Ampukids offers children and their families extensive support to cope with their new situation, to manage daily life and the new challenges associated with limb amputation. An amputation is a horrifying incident for a family, and competent psychological care is often necessary. Ampukids’ main aims are to enable amputee children to find their way back to normal life, to participate in any social activities and sports, and to create a German-wide network of children and families sharing their experience and individual skills.

Ampukids also organises events bringing together ‘Ampukids’, their families and friends, as well as non-amputee children. These events support mutual interaction, integrating amputee children into mixed teams and allowing them to set their own goals. Ampukids events also bring together families, allowing them to exchange their expertise in dealing with all the challenges associated with amputation in childhood.

Every year, Ampukids organises an integrative sports tournament entitled ‘No barriers, just sport!’, bringing together amputee and non-amputee-children. The DFB’s Sepp Hersberger Foundation supports Ampukids in organising this event, which is very well attended and appreciated by all participants. The children form mixed groups and participate in different sports, including a football match. Spectators are often astonished by the creative ways in which the teams integrate their amputee members and easily manage sporting challenges.

Link to video

 

DAYSI’S STORY

Sport is one of the things that Daysi loves.

Two years ago, a 13-year-old girl named Daysi joined the School of Integration, Sports Training, Artistic Expression and Professional Development (EIFODEC) in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

At that time, she had basic motor skills and did not have the opportunity to do sport and develop her physical abilities. Since attending the EIFODEC, Daysi has improved her motor skills and has gained confidence through playing team sports such as football, which is her favourite. Football has had a significant impact on the development of Daysi’s self-esteem, personal safety, cooperation and teamwork.

At the age of five, Daysi was rescued from her home because she was exposed to constant sexual abuse by her stepfather and was neglected by her biological mother. Since then she has been living in a foster home with a system of surrogate families. She has found support and love from her foster mother and younger siblings.

Daysi says: “I like to play football because I can run and laugh with my friends. I play well, I have fun and I exercise a lot.”

Daysi is beneficiary of the programme Light for the World.

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.



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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.

 

Making football dreams come true

The foundation endeavours to put a smile on the faces of children and young people who are seriously ill or whose lives have been changed forever an accident by enabling them to meet their favourite player or a prestigious football team, or simply to enjoy the unique experience of watching a major European match.

For the last three years, we have been working closely with Etoile filante/Sternschnuppe and Make a Wish in Switzerland and the French association Rêves to provide unforgettable experiences for children and the families that support them day after day. We do all we can to give them a couple of magical days to help them through the more difficult moments.

The foundation made the dreams of 46 children come true during the 2017/18 season:

  • 18 children saw their favourite player in action for their club
  • 6 children met the players of their national team
  • 22 children watched the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League finals

Club matches :

  • Gwendal’s dream came true when he met the FC Barcelona players and watched the Champions League match between FC Barcelona and Olympiacos FC on 18 October.
  • Larisa met the player David Luiz and attended the Champions League match between Chelsea FC and AS Roma on 18 October.
  • Christoph, whose dream was to see the Borussia Dortmund team, met them at their Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur FC on 21 November.
  • Simone met Neymar at a training session and at the Champions League match between Celtic FC and Paris Saint-Germain on 22 November.
  • Bruno met his favourite team, Juventus, at their Champions League match against FC Barcelona on 22 November.
  • Dominic met the FC Bayern München players and watched their match against Paris Saint-Germain on 5 December.
  • Sami watched Paris Saint-Germain’s match against FC Bayern München in Munich on 5 December.
  • Mathis watched Paris Saint-Germain’s match against FC Bayern München in Munich on 5 December.
  • Mateo’s dream of seeing Real Madrid CF in action came true on 6 December 2017, when he watched them play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
  • Marco had dreamt of meeting AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and was given the chance to do so on 22 February.
  • Timoty fulfilled his dream of meeting Lionel Messi and watching an FC Barcelona match on 4 April, when they played AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.
  • Enzo fulfilled his dream of meeting Lionel Messi and watching an FC Barcelona match on 4 April, when they played AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.
  • Loic fulfilled his dream of meeting Lionel Messi and watching an FC Barcelona match on 4 April, when they played AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.
  • Ulrich had dreamt of meeting Paul Pogba and was able to do so at a training session before Manchester United FC played Sevilla FC on 13 March.
  • Gabriele met the player David Luiz and watched the Champions League match between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona on 20 February.
  • Océane’s dream of meeting Dimitri Payet came true at the Europa League semi-final in Marseille.
  • Azra attended the Istanbul derby between Galatasaray AŞ and Beşiktaş JK on 29 April.

National team matches:

  • Julien met Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini when Italy played their European Qualifier against FYR Macedonia on 6 October.
  • Noa met the Portugal team on 10 October, when they played their European Qualifier against Switzerland.
  • Jorim met the Portugal team on 10 October, when they played their European Qualifier against Switzerland.
  • Gautier met the French national team in Saint Denis (Paris) on 11 November after the friendly against Wales.
  • Alex met the French national team in Saint Denis (Paris) on 11 November after the friendly against Wales.
  • Calvyn met the French national team in Saint Denis (Paris) on 11 November after the friendly against Wales.

Finals:

  • Dylan fulfilled his dream by watching his favourite team, Olympique de Marseille, contest the Europa League final in Lyon.
  • A group of nine young people from the Air Pur et Soleil association, who were going through a tough time in their lives, attended the Europa League final. They also had lunch with famous French player Yann M’Vila of AS Saint-Étienne.
  • A group of 12 youngsters from the Sport dans la Ville association (France) were rewarded for their good behaviour and exemplary hard work for the association with a trip to Kyiv to watch the Champions League final.

Winners of 2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards announced

Awards go to 20 European organisations supporting disadvantaged children

On 16 May, the Board of Trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met in Lyon at the offices of Sport dans la Ville – an organisation that uses sport to help young people to integrate into society – under the stewardship of its chairman, Aleksander Čeferin.

The agenda for that meeting included a number of important items of business, such as the 2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards and the approval of the projects to be supported using the proceeds from the recent Match for Solidarity, which took place in Geneva on 21 April and was jointly organised by UEFA and the United Nations.

As regards administrative business, the chairman of The Football Association, Greg Clarke, was voted onto the Board of Trustees, bringing the total number of members to 11. The Board of Trustees also took note of the impending departure of the foundation’s secretary general, Pascal Torres, who will be replaced by Urs Kluser.

2018 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards
In January, UEFA’s 55 member associations were again asked to nominate a charity partner that was involved in activities benefiting children – a repeat of last year’s initiative aimed at placing Europe’s national associations at the heart of the decision-making process as regards these awards. The eligibility criteria for this year’s awards were as follows:

  • Nominees had to be based in one of UEFA’s member countries.
  • They had to comply with the Ethics Code of the UEFA Foundation for Children.
  • They had to be registered with the relevant national authorities and comply with all legal and financial obligations.
  • Their activities had to be aimed at helping disadvantaged children.
  • Priority would be given to national associations whose charity partners had not received an award in 2017.

Each award-winner would receive a grant of at least €50,000.

A total of 22 national associations submitted nominations, ten of which had not nominated anyone last year. Only two nominees were rejected on account of a failure to satisfy the above criteria. The Board of Trustees decided to divide the total amount of funding available – €1m – equally between the remaining nominees, with the 20 organisations below each receiving a €50,000 grant:

National association Recipient organisation
Football Federation of Armenia Grant Life
Austrian Football Association Helga Keil-Bastendorff Stiftung
Royal Belgian Football Association BX Brussels
Croatian Football Federation Pogled Autism Association
Cyprus Football Association Goal in Life
Football Association of the Czech Republic Special Olympics Czech Republic
Estonian Football Association SPIN
French Football Federation Fondaction du Football
German Football Association AMPU KIDS – a project by Ampu Vita e.V.
Israel Football Association The Israel Sport and Education Initiative
Football Federation of Kosovo Kosovar Youth Council
Liechtenstein Football Association Football is More
Lithuanian Football Federation Vilnius Social Club
Football Federation of FYR Macedonia SOS Children’s Village Macedonia
Polish Football Association Amp Futbol Polska
Football Association of Ireland Irish Society for Autism
Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation Škola fudbala Respekt
Football Association of Slovenia Debeli Rtič Youth Health and Summer Resort
Swedish Football Association Lennart Johansson Foundation
Swiss Football Association Verein Raumfang

2018 call for projects
This year, applicants should submit details of their projects between mid-August and mid September. The selection criteria will be set out in the application form.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is set to take place on end of 2018 to announce the selected of the new projects.

For high-resolution images relating to this media release, please visit the foundation’s newsroom.

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Stars in their eyes

Local children will escort the players out onto the pitch thanks to a partnership between the UEFA Foundation for Children and FedEx

The UEFA Europa League final is a source of great excitement to its host city, and not least to the young fans who dream of seeing their heroes in the flesh.
The UEFA Foundation for Children and the competition’s main sponsor, FedEx, have worked together to make the dreams of 22 local children a reality. Those youngsters, aged between seven and nine, will walk onto the pitch hand in hand with the players from Olympique de Marseille and Club Atlético de Madrid prior to kick-off. They having been chosen by French non-profit organisation Sport dans la Ville. They learned of their role from none other than FedEx ambassador and Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit during a special trip to the Stade de Lyon.

“The news that the children would escort the football stars they admire most onto the field at the UEFA Europa League final was completely unexpected – a possibility that many would not even have dreamed of,” said Hélène Blondel-Ehni, director of partnerships at Sport dans la Ville.

FedEx donated its full player-escort line-up to local charities at previous UEFA Europa League finals in Basel and Stockholm, prior to the 2018 showpiece in Lyon. The sponsor works together with the UEFA Foundation for Children and global charity streetfootballworld on a collaborative social responsibility programme that uses football as a platform to connect people and possibilities around the world.

“To step out onto the field at the UEFA Europa League final is something completely out of the ordinary, and you can see a sense of pride in their faces on the night,” said Jérôme Ovion, vice-president of hub operations at FedEx Express France.

In addition to this player escort initiative, the UEFA Foundation for Children is also giving away 100 match tickets to other partner organisations, allowing even more children to attend the final and enjoy the experience of a lifetime.