Appointment of a new ambassador

Eugénie Le Sommer of Olympique Lyonnais with player escorts prior to the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2019 between Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona at Ferencváros Stadium in Budapest, Hungary on May 18, 2019. (Photo by Brendan Moran – UEFA/UEFA via Sportsfile)

The trustees unanimously agreed to appoint Eugénie Le Sommer as the foundation’s first female ambassador. The French international and captain of the Olympique Lyonnais women’s team, Le Sommer looks forward to shining a spotlight on the foundation’s initiatives, in particular its promotion of gender equality in sport and  empowerment of women. She follows in the footsteps of other international footballers such as Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitić, who also recently became an ambassador to help promote the foundation’s work around the world.

2021 award winners

The board’s spring meeting is also when the UEFA Foundation for Children selects its annual award winners among charities and other organisations working in favour of children’s rights. Organisations are nominated by the UEFA member associations. The year, it was decided to share the total amount available (€1m) equally among 19 organisations. Each will therefore receive €52,630.

“The past year has been particularly difficult, but it is encouraging to see how the NGO partners have been able to adapt and innovate to support the growing number of children in need because of this pandemic”, says Aleksander Čeferin. “We are pleased to be able to support 19 additional organisations in Europe through the 2021 UEFA Foundation for Children award.”

List of 2021 Foundation for Children award winners:

Call for projects 2021

The UEFA Foundation for Children’s next call for projects will be open from 28 June to 15 August 2021. Applicants from all over the world can submit their project proposals on the foundation website, where all the necessary information and the selection criteria will be published. The board of trustees will select projects and announce its decisions at its next meeting, in November.

Courtesy of UEFA

The 2021 UEFA Europa League final is being held at Gdańsk Stadium. In advance of the event, FedEx Express and the UEFA Foundation for Children have donated football equipment to more than 3,000 young Polish in footballers. Młodzieżowe Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Sportowych (MSIS), located in Mragowo, received 800 football kits and 200 footballs. Over 2,500 kits and 200 balls were also donated to Amp Futbol Polska to support two initiatives: the Junior Amp Futbol programme aimed at children and young people with amputations and limb disabilities, and the Futbol Plus project supporting football academies for children with various disabilities.

“Football offers many opportunities for social integration and well-being. Especially in these challenging times, it is important to support young people in their physical development. As a company, we want to promote sport among children and continue to complement our professional football sponsorship with locally beneficial initiatives. Our team is incredibly proud of this part of our sponsorship,” said Mariusz Mik, Vice President Ground Operations Eastern Europe, FedEx Express.

This is one of many joint initiatives by FedEx Express and the UEFA Foundation for Children to promote sport among young people. Since becoming official sponsor of the UEFA Europe League in 2015, FedEx Express has collaborated on various programmes that use football as a platform for social change, as well as organising player mascots for the finals in Basel (2016), Stockholm (2017), Lyon (2018) and Baku (2019). The player mascots programme has given over 1,000 children a chance to meet their football heroes. For many of them this was a unique and unforgettable experience. While taking the necessary precautions, Polish children will have the chance to meet their football idols at this year’s final on 26 May.

We are grateful for the generosity of our partner FedEx Express, who has decided to invest in programmes promoting football in underprivileged communities and supporting the football for good movement. With the player mascot programme, we give children living in Poland an experience that will forever remain in their hearts and memories.

– Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children

Courtesy of UEFA Foundation for Children

The number of children dropping out of education at the age of 14 is increasing across Mumbai’s slums. Underprivileged children are being sent to work to help meet their families’ needs. Entering the labour market at such a young age and working long days in dangerous conditions is having a disastrous effect on their mental and physical development, while the risks of developing addictions to alcohol and drugs increase.

Two thirds of girls in Mumbai’s education system drop out of school before they reach their 15th birthday. Many are ushered into child marriages, with parents believing this will secure their daughters’ economic security. However, cutting short their education severely limits their future prospects and the cycle of poverty therefore self-perpetuates.

Education through sport

The UEFA Foundation for Children, which celebrates its fifth anniversary on 24 April, has been working alongside the Oscar Foundation – a non-profit organisation based in Mumbai dedicated to empowering children in low-income Indian communities – since 2019.

The project in Mumbai comprises football and education programmes that rely on the power of football to bring about social change. The aim is to use football to engage youngsters in a variety of activities, but also to teach them about key social topics such as teamwork, respect and fair play, thus increasing their resilience, self-esteem and motivation.

During the sessions, issues such as dropping out of school, child marriage, child labour or health and hygiene are discussed. If children identify as being at risk of dropping out of school, they will be invited to attend informal education classes at one of the four education hubs in Mumbai, improving their chances of passing exams and providing a platform for future employment opportunities.

A fantastic initiative

“Having access to good-quality education is one of the most important things in life and has the potential to open up so many new opportunities,” said former Liverpool midfielder Luis García, who spent a year playing in India for Atlético de Kolkata.

García knows the value of education, having graduated from UEFA’s Executive Master for International Players (MIP) programme in 2019 – along with Youri Djorkaeff and Gaizka Mendieta.

“Football is a powerful tool which can be used in order to facilitate change and this is a fantastic initiative by the UEFA Foundation for Children in conjunction with the Oscar Foundation to help those in need in Mumbai, which will hopefully have a long-lasting effect on their future lives.”

Football is a powerful tool

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin chairs the board of trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children and hails the work undertaken since 2015, and how football is proving to be a major force for social good.

“Having had the opportunity to be personally involved in various projects, I have seen that football is an extremely powerful tool,” said the UEFA president.

“Whether it is in refugee camps across the world, the troubled suburbs of European cities or forgotten conflict zones, all the activities supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children have strengthened my desire to see European football assume its role in the social development of young people all over the world.”

Having access to good-quality education is one of the most important things in life and has the potential to open up so many new opportunities. Football is a powerful tool which can be used in order to facilitate change and this is a fantastic initiative by the UEFA Foundation for Children in conjunction with the Oscar Foundation to help those in need in Mumbai, which will hopefully have a long-lasting effect on their future lives.

– Luis García, former Liverpool midfielder who spent a year playing in India for Atlético de Kolkata

UEFA’s national associations approved the creation of a UEFA charitable foundation at the European body’s Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan in March 2014, and the UEFA Foundation for Children was launched in April 2015.

Since then, a genuine success story has unfurled.

Children at the Za’atari Refugee camp enjoy a game of football (Photo: UEFA)

Reaching out to one million children

In five years, no less than one million children have benefited from the foundation’s broad palette of activities worldwide.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin chairs the foundation’s board of trustees. He hails the work undertaken since 2015, and how football is proving to be a major force for social good.

“Having had the opportunity to be personally involved in various projects,” the UEFA President says, “I have seen that football is an extremely powerful tool.”

“Whether it is in refugee camps across the world, the troubled suburbs of European cities or forgotten conflict zones, all the activities supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children have strengthened my desire to see European football assume its role in the social development of young people all over the world.”

The foundation’s general secretary Urs Kluser highlights the projects and achievements that have marked a memorable first five years for the foundation.

Using football’s power for children

“We are very proud to be one of the ways that European football can give back to society, and use the power of the game to defend children’s rights. It gives them the opportunity to play, forget about their problems for a while, and it helps them succeed in the future.”

Children from Macedonia meet their Real Madrid heroes (2017) (Photo: UEFA)

245 projects since 2015

“Over the course of these great five years, the foundation has contributed to the protection of children and their rights through football, by providing grants for 245 projects. While many of the projects have emphasised children’s health, education and integration, the foundation has also devoted its attention to victims of conflict, especially refugees, and the promotion of youth employment through football.”

Building pitches

“We have built 22 small and regular size football fields. One example is a pitch at the Za’atari camp for Syrian refugees in the Jordanian desert. The project was started by UEFA and then continued by the foundation. Now, 6,000 children practice sport there every week, in a programme that is entirely run by the Syrian refugees.”

Diversity and Multiculturality

“The foundation has been able to support projects in 100 countries on all five continents. Half of the funds have been contributed to European projects. Of the one million children to benefit from these projects, at least 35% of them are girls, and we are working on increasing this proportion.”

“The projects are using sport, and football in particular, to help defend children from precarious backgrounds. They have proved to be a great success in leading children to education. They help children with disabilities to play, develop and feel like any other children, and they improve many children’s health.”

“They are also useful in increasing young people’s chances of joining the workforce by improving their life skills and therefore their employability. And this means reducing the risks of falling prey to drugs, crime and extremism.”

Helping migrants adapt and integrate

“During the 2015/16 refugee crisis, with [the associations’] support, the foundation funded 23 projects in 15 different countries throughout Europe. Projects that work with football to help young migrants adjust to the new environment, receive education and integrate into society.”

Making children dream…

“The national associations have also brought hope to children and given them the chance to dream. Almost 24,000 children that would otherwise never have had a chance to see such a game have been invited to the UEFA competitions…a number of them even having the chance to meet their idols in person. For some of them, this experience has changed their lives.”

…and helping them to play the beautiful game

“We have distributed over 35,000 balls and football kits in schools, children’s institutions and associations, giving them the basic tools to train and to play football.”

Environmental responsibility

“The foundation contributed to UEFA’s sustainable management efforts by re-using and distributing over 34 tons of material from our competitions and our sponsors.”

Building new partnerships

“With the support of UEFA and the President, the foundation managed to build new partnerships with its sponsors: FedEx, Lay’s, Nissan, Mastercard, KIA, Gazprom, Konami, Adidas and Socar. Their support has gone up from 0% to between 20 and 30% of the project budget. Their support is going directly into projects and infrastructure development, and will hopefully increase even more in the future.”

Match for Solidarity

“Our association with UEFA has enabled us to team up with the United Nations and the city of Geneva. In cooperation with them, UEFA and the foundation took on the challenge of organising a Match for Solidarity in 2018. It turned out a huge success. The proceeds have been used to help six projects working with disabled children in several countries. The next Match for Solidarity is scheduled for summer 2021.”

Grateful thanks…

“Our fifth birthday milestone enables the foundation to extend its special thanks to the entire football community for the trust that has been shown in us and our work. Thanks also to all of our partners, NGOs and organisations for their daily involvement in our activities, as well as their dedication to protecting children and their rights, which have helped give legitimacy to the foundation and its mission.”

Courtesy of UEFA

Photo: UEFA Foundation for Children

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:

• 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

Courtesy of UEFA Foundation for Children

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 Turkey.

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.

Courtesy of UEFA

Chelsea Head Coach Frank Lampard meets young amputee football players and UEFA Foundation guests (Photo: Alex Caparros – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

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.

Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp  with Ali Turganbekov ahead of the UEFA Super Cup 2019 football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Besiktas Park stadium in Istanbul on August 13, 2019. (Photo: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

“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.”

With courtesy of the UEFA Foundation for Children

The main items on the meeting agenda included a review of all current activities and campaigns, and the inaugural 2016 UEFA Foundation for Children awards ceremony took place, highlighting the work of the five charitable bodies chosen to receive the awards for their campaigns seeking to promote peace, integration, greater social harmony, respect for differences and nondiscrimination: streetfootballworld, Colombianitos, Just Play, Right to Play and Magic Bus.

The board also approved new projects, following on from a call for projects for 2016/17. The board carefully studied the numerous initiatives submitted, which had to meet the following criteria: conformity with the UEFA Foundation for Children’s statutes; credibility of the bodies in question; presentation of a viable budget, including the participation of local partners; and the sustainability value of the projects.

The UEFA Foundation for Children has earmarked €1 million in financial support for 12 new projects, involving programmes designed to help vulnerable, disadvantaged or disabled children across the world.

The following projects will be added to the UEFA foundation’s portfolio:

• An educational project based on team sports, in particular handball, volleyball, football and basketball, run in partnership with a French non-governmental organisation, CIELO (Coopération internationale pour les équilibres locaux), which is active in Benin, Cameroun and Togo;
• An initiative aimed at promoting education and life skills in Congo, proposed by Promo Jeune Basket, who have been working with young people in the country for more than ten years. More than 1,000 youngsters have derived benefit from the project;
• The “Solidarité aveugle” (“Blind solidarity”) project, run by Libre Vue, destined for 150 young blind girls and boys in Mali, and designed to enable them to play football in an appropriate environment – thereby combating social exclusion and promoting football for all;
• “Goal Plus”, a project supported by PluSport, an organisation which uses football and other ball games to integrate disabled people in Switzerland;
• “The Game, The Life”, established by the Swiss NGO IMBEWU, and aimed at supporting disadvantaged children and young people in townships in South Africa in their education and on their life paths, in order to bring about greater equality, tolerance and social cohesion;
• A project by the Brincar de Rua organisation, which is based and active in the Leiria region of Portugal. The project offers street-playing experiences in urban areas for children aged between 5 and 12. The children are integrated within groups in their neighbourhood, and take part in sporting activities which are beneficial to their health, development and well-being;
• An educational, health and social inclusion programme for children in disadvantaged communities in Israel and Palestine, to be implemented in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Deir Istiya by Inter Campus, an organisation working with numerous local partners;
• A programme of education through sport which keeps children occupied and active from when they leave school during the day until the evening – normally a period in the day when they are generally left to their own devices. The programme is run by the Education for Children organisation which is active in Jocotenango, a region of Guatemala marked by extreme poverty, gang crime, drugs and alcohol, as well as by domestic and sexual violence;
• “Football for All in Vietnam”, a partnership programme between the Football Association of Norway and the Vietnam Football Federation, which promotes education and cultural values through football for young people – in particular girls, minorities and disabled children;
• Football for Life (F4L) Academy, a specialised educational programme, based on playing and designed for the world’s most marginalised children. Since 2014, in the Philippines, F4L has been using football to help disadvantaged children to continue their schooling and escape from inter-generational poverty, and connects marginalised children with prominent local football players to motivate them;
• A programme run by Plan Nederland, an association working to reduce early pregnancies and forced marriages among young girls in Guatemala, using football as a vehicle to make girls more autonomous and reinforce the process of social change. Fathers and boys are being encouraged to actively support the girls;
• The “Beyond the Pitches’ Green” project run by the Instituto Fazer Acontecer, a nongovernmental organisation based in Brazil which promotes sport’s potential as a powerful tool for social change. This project will enable the training of 300 instructors in Football3 methodology, benefitting more than 900 young people from disadvantaged communities in 15 towns across the country.

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Report courtesy of the UEFA Foundation for Children