MOSCOW, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
The events promoting peace, friendship, equality and a healthy
lifestyle, dedicated to the Global Day of Football and Friendship
have started today in Europe,
Asia, Africa, North and South America. Tens of thousands of children
and adults participate in friendly matches, open training sessions,
flash mobs, marathons and sport events. Participants around the
globe are supported by well-known football players, coaches, TV
hosts and artists.
(Photo:
http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494050/Football_for_Friendship.jpg
)
For the first time the Global Day of Football and Friendship was
proclaimed in 2014 by the young ambassadors of the International
Children's Social FOOTBALL FOR FRIENDSHIP programme supported by
FIFA and UEFA. During this day, everyone who shares the most
important values, such as equality, respect for other cultures and
peaceful existence bind a blue-green Friendship bracelet to his
hand. The blue string of the bracelet symbolizes the peaceful sky,
and the green string symbolizes the football field, accessible to
everyone.
This year Friendship bracelet began to wear Hugo Tinelli, the leading TV producer in
Argentina, Xu Li, the editor-in-chief of the news agency in
China, Dimos Piros, three-time Olympic winner from
Greece, Miodrag Bozhevich, the
famous coach from Serbia, Kevin
Bloom, FIFA referee from the
Netherlands.
The events were attended by famous football players, including
Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovich
and Russian goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin from FC Zenit (St. Petersburg, Russia), Dutch striker
Dirk Kuyt from FC Feyenoord
(Rotterdam, the Netherlands). In
Athens, the event was attended by
the winner of the European Football Championship 2004 as part of
the national team, Theodoras Zagarakis, who is a member of the
European Parliament from Greece.
"It is important that this day comes at a time when people all
over the world need to confirm their commitment to the principle of
equality and respect for each other. FOOTBALL FOR FRIENDSHIP gives
this opportunity and through the younger generation teaches people
to commitment of peace and friendship regardless of gender, age and
physical abilities. It feels great to be appointed as a national
FOOTBALL FOR FRIENDSHIP 2017 operator in Pakistan and I hope that in the future we can
also bring this platform to our country and invite children from
across the world to Pakistan,"
shared emotions Fahad Khan, Pakistan Football Federation.