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Football for Friendship

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Football for Friendship (Template:Lang-ru) is an annual International Children’s Social Programme implemented by Gazprom.[1] Within the framework of the programme, football players at the age of 12 from different countries[2] take part in the annual International Football for Friendship Childrens Forum, Football for Friendship World Championship, International Day of Football and Friendship[3] The global operator of the programme is AGT Communications Group (Russia).

History

The first International Children's Forum Football for Friendship was held on May 25, 2013, in London. 670 children from 8 countries took part in it: from Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Russia, Serbia and Slovenia.[4] Russia was represented by 11 football teams from 11 Russian cities that will host the FIFA World Cup matches in 2018. The junior teams of Zenit, Chelsea, Schalke 04, Crvena Zvezda clubs, winners of the children's sports day of Gazprom, and winners of the Fakel festival[5] also participated in the forum.

During the Forum, the children talked with their peers from other countries, and famous footballers, and also attended the UEFA Champions League Final in 2012/2013 at Wembley Stadium.[6]

The result of the forum was an open letter in which the children formulated the eight values of the program: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory and traditions. Later the letter was sent to the heads of the UEFA, FIFA and IOC.[7] In September 2013, during a meeting with Vladimir Putin and Vitaly Mutko, Sepp Blatter confirmed receipt of the letter and stated that he was ready to support Football for Friendship.[8]

The second season of the Football for Friendship Programme was held in Lisbon on May 23–25, 2014 and embraced more than 450 teenagers from 16 countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, France and Croatia. The young footballers took part in the international International Football for Friendship Forum, a tournament in street football and attended the UEFA Champions League Final in 2013/2014.[9] The winner of the International Street Football Tournament in 2014 was the Benfica junior team (Portugal).

The third season of the International Social Programme Football for Friendship was held in June 2015 in Berlin.[10] Young participants from the Asian continent – children's football teams from Japan, China and Kazakhstan – participated in the programme for the first time. In total, junior teams from 24 football clubs from 24 countries took part in the third season. The young footballers talked with their peers from other countries and stars of world football, including the global ambassador of the program Franz Beckenbauer, and also took part in the International tournament of street football among junior teams. The winner of the International Street Football Tournament in 2015 was the Rapid junior team (Austria).

In the fourth season of the Programme, 8 new junior teams[11] from Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria[11] joined it, so the total number of participating countries reached 32.[12]

In 2017, the number of participating countries increased from 32 to 64.[13] For the first time, the Football for Friendship Programme was attended by children from Mexico[14] and the United States.[15] Thus, the project united young players of four continents — Africa, Eurasia, North America and South America.[15]

In 2018, it was decided that the Sixth season of the Football for Friendship Programme would be held from February 15 to June 15 in Russia. The programme participants include young footballers and journalists representing 211 countries and regions of the world.[16] The official start of the 2018 programme was made by the Open Draw, by the results of which 32 football teams – International Teams of Friendship – were formed.[17]

In 2019, the key events of the Seventh season of the Football for Friendship programme will be held in Madrid from May 28 up to June 2. Traditionally, the composition of mixed teams - International Teams of Friendship – will be determined during Football for Friendship Open Draw.[18] As it was in 2018, the Teams supposed to be named after rare and endangered species of animals. As part of the final events, the International Football for Friendship Forum will be held. The main event of the programme will be the 2019 Football for Friendship World Championship, the final of which will be held on the Madrid's central square Plaza Mayor.[18]

Football for Friendship World Championship

The International Children's football tournament is held within the framework of the Football for Friendship Programme.[19] Teams participating in the championship – Friendship Teams – are formed during an Open Draw.[20] The teams are organized[21] on the principle of Football for Friendship: athletes of different nationalities, sex and physical abilities play in the same team.[22]

International Children’s Press Centre

A special feature of the Football for Friendship program is its own International Children's Press Center.[23] It was first organised under the Football for Friendship Programme in 2014.[24] Young journalists in the press center cover the events of the Programme in their countries:[25] they prepare news for national and international sports media, participate in the creation of materials for the Football for Friendship TV channel, the children's Football for Friendship newspaper and the program's official radio station.[25] The International Children's Press Center unites the winners of the Best Young Journalist national contests,[26] young bloggers, photographers and writers. Young journalists from the press center present their view from within the Programme,[25] implementing the format "children about children".[27]

International Day of Football and Friendship

Under the Football for Friendship Programme, the International Day of Football and Friendship is celebrated on April 25.[28] This holiday was celebrated for the first time in 2014 in 16 countries.[29] On this day, friendly matches,[29] flash mobs, radio marathons, master classes, television shows, open training sessions, etc. took place.[30] More than 50,000 people took part in the celebration.

In 2015, Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated in 24 countries.[31] During the festival, there were friendly football matches and other events. In Germany, Schalke 04 footballers held an open training session,[31] Serbia hosted a TV show, Ukraine – a match between the junior team of Volyn FC and children who are registered at the Lutsk city center of social services for families, children and young people.[31]

In Russia, the Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated on April 25 in 11 cities. Friendly football matches were held in Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Barnaul, St. Petersburg and Saransk, to recall the key values of the program. In Krasnoyarsk, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don, a Friendship Relay was held with the participation of torchbearers from the Olympic Torch Relay 2014. In Moscow, with the support of the Sports Federation of the Blind, an Equal Opportunity Tournament was organized. On May 5, the Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated in Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan.[31]

In 2016, Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated in 32 countries. In Russia, it was celebrated in nine cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Birobidzhan, Irkutsk, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov-on-Don. Nizhny Novgorod hosted a friendly match for young footballers from Volga FC, and adult players from the club conducted warm-up and training for the children. In a friendly match in Novosibirsk, disabled children took part – the Novosibirsk region team Yermak-Sibir.

In 2017, Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated in 64 countries. Famous footballers, including Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovich, and Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt, took part in events around the world. In Greece, the event was attended by Theodoras Zagorakis, a winner of the European Football Championship 2004 with his country's national team. In Russia, Zenit FC hosted a special training session for Zakhar Badyuk, the young Ambassador of the Football for Friendship program in 2017. In training, Zenit FC goalkeeper Yury Lodygin gave a high rating to Zakhar's abilities and shared the secrets of goalkeeping with him.

The Nine Values Cup

The Nine Values Cup is an award of the International Children's Social Program Football for Friendship. Each year the Cup is awarded for the greatest commitment to the values of the project: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions and honour.[32] Fans from all over the world participate in selecting the winner, but the final decision is made by the participants of the Football for Friendship project by voting. Football clubs which are holders of the Nine Values Cup: Barcelona (2015), Bayern Munich (2016), Al Wahda (Special Prize), Real Madrid (2017).[32]

Friendship bracelet

All the activities of the Football for Friendship Programme begin with the exchange of Friendship Bracelets, a symbol of equality and a healthy lifestyle. The bracelet consists of two threads of blue and green, and it can be worn by anyone who shares the program's values.[33]

According to Franz Beckenbauer:

"The symbol of the movement is a two-color bracelet, it is as simple and understandable as the inherent values of the Football for Friendship program".

Young participants in the program have tied Friendship Bracelets on the wrists of famous sportsmen and public figures, including Dick Advocaat,[34] Anatoly Timoshchuk[35] and Luis Netu, Franz Beckenbauer,[36] Luis Fernandev, Didier Drogba, Max Meyer, Fatma Samura, Leon Gorecka, Domenico Krishito, Michel Salgado, Alexander Kerzhakov, Dimas Pirros, Miodrag Bozovic, Adelina Sotnikova, Yuri Kamenets.

Activity of participants between seasons

Young footballers from the Football for Friendship Programme take part in various events outside the official season. In May 2013, players from the Maribor junior football club (Slovenia) held a charity friendly match with Cambodian children.[37] On 14 September 2014 in Sochi, Russian participants in the programme talked with Vladimir Putin during the meeting of the President of the Russian Federation with FIFA President Sepp Blatter.[38] In June 2014, French President Francois Hollande invited the Taverni team, a member of the Football for Friendship programme, to the Elysee Palace to watch the 2014 FIFA World Cup match between France and Nigeria.[39] In April 2016, Yuri Vashchuk, the ambassador of the Football for Friendship program in 2015, met with the strongest man of Belarus, Kirill Shimko, and young footballers from BATE FC to share their experience of participating in the project. Yuri Vashchuk gave Kirill Shimko a symbolic Friendship Bracelet, thereby passing to him the baton in promoting the projects ideals: friendship, fairness, healthy lifestyle.

Awards and prizes

The Football for Friendship Programme has won various competitions and holds a number of Russian and international prizes. Among them are: "Best Social Projects of Russia" in the category "Development of International Cooperation", International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards in the category "Corporate Social Responsibility" (2016),[40] Saber Awards in the category "The Best Social Project of the Planet" ( 2016), The Drum Social Buzz Awards in the category "Best International Strategy" (2017),[41] The Internationalist Awards for Innovative Digital Marketing Solutions in the category "Best Media Strategy" (2017),[42] "Silver Archer" in the category "The Best Social Project of Russia"(2018), and Grand Prix "Silver Archer" (2018).

References

  1. ^ "Football for Friendship project returns".
  2. ^ Sotra, Aleksandra. "Gazprom's "Football for friendship 2014" - InSerbia News". inserbia.info.
  3. ^ "Europe and Asia to Meet Within Football for Friendship International Children's Social Project of". www.newswire.ca.
  4. ^ "Chelsea and Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson back 'Football for Friendship' programme - Chelsea - London 24". 2015-05-22. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  5. ^ "Football for Friendship". Archived from the original on 2015-05-15.
  6. ^ ntv.ru. "В Москве подвели итоги детского форума "Футбол для дружбы"". НТВ. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  7. ^ FIFA.com. "FIFA Partners - Gazprom - FIFA.com". FIFA.com. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  8. ^ "Vladimir Putin und FIFA-Präsident Joseph S. Blatte bei "Football for Friendship" | Service - Epoch Times". 2015-05-22. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  9. ^ "Football for Friendship: Teaching values through football". euronews. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
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  11. ^ a b "Football For Friendship project returns | sportindustry.co.za". www.sportindustry.co.za. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  12. ^ "Football for Friendship". Archived from the original on 2017-02-21.
  13. ^ "Football for Friendship". Archived from the original on 2017-04-26.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  24. ^ "Crawley girl, 13, who dreams to play football for England meets World Cup legend". Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  25. ^ a b c "Football For Friendship Are On The Hunt For Talented Young Journalists". It's Round And It's White. 2014-04-15. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  26. ^ "12-year-old Bucks boy is the best young reporter - Get Bucks". 2016-03-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  27. ^ "Mission XI Million picks Chandigarh girl Ananya Kamboj". The Financial Express. 2017-05-28. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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  29. ^ a b RBTH (2015-05-15). "Children from 24 countries celebrate Day of Football and Friendship". Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  30. ^ Hills, David (2015-04-25). "Said & Done: David Cameron; Sepp in Sochi; and how to say sorry like you mean it". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  31. ^ a b c d Gazdyuk, Pavel (2015-05-13). "The International Day of Football and Friendship". Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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  33. ^ [sputniknews.com/art_living/20150512/1022037520.html "Friendship bacelet"]. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  34. ^ "Friendship bracelet". Archived from the original on 2015-05-26.
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  36. ^ "Interview sends Megan Mackey to Champions League final". The Bolton News. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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  40. ^ "Awards". Archived from the original on 2016-04-22.
  41. ^ t.akulov_63369 (2017-08-31). "How to make kids voices to be heard globally?". The Drum Awards. Retrieved 2018-03-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  42. ^ "Internationalists Awards for Innovative Digital Solutions 2017". www.internationalist-awards.com. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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