The UEFA Foundation for Children welcolmed Tatiana Valovaya, the new Director-General of the UN office at Geneva.

Protection of children’s rights and football’s enduring social power were focal points when Tatiana Valovaya, the new Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, visited UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon today. She met UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin and visited the offices of the UEFA Foundation for Children – with the visit marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The talks in Nyon centred on the strong bond between UEFA and the UN’s Geneva base, and gave UEFA the opportunity to highlight its work helping to enhance football’s power as a force for social good – in particular through the foundation’s portfolio of activities in favour of children in Europe and in other regions of the world.

UN Convention of the Rights of the Child

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 1989 and opened for signature on 20 November of the same year, the convention sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.

“On the 30th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, we are very pleased to welcome Tatiana Valovaya,” said Aleksander Čeferin who chairs the foundation’s board of trustees. “UEFA and its foundation hope to pursue this partnership by using football’s societal role to protect children and reduce inequalities,” he added.

Match for Solidarity joint venture

Last year, UEFA and the UN Office at Geneva joined forces to stage the Match for Solidarity. The objective was to promote peace, rights, well-being and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while raising funds for the UEFA Foundation for Children to finance humanitarian projects around the world.

Read the Match for Solidarity newsletter 

The UN Sustainable Development Goals align with the UEFA Foundation for Children’s fundamental goals to promote equal opportunities for every child, through the use of football as an awareness and information tool.

“I thank President Aleksander Čeferin for his kind invitation to the UEFA headquarters and I hope we can continue this very fruitful cooperation” said Tatiana Valovaya. Through the important role that sports holds in society and our team work to achieve the SDGs, each and every one of us can be part of the solutions we need for today’s world challenges.

“Our partnership with the United Nations Office at Geneva has already enabled UEFA to support programmes that are aligned with the objectives of Goal 10 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and, in particular, to defend the rights of children with disabilities,” said Aleksander Čeferin.

Through the important role that sports holds in society and our team work to achieve the SDGs, each and every one of us can be part of the solutions we need for today’s world challenges.

- Tatiana Valovaya, new Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva