Gazprom’s Football for Friendship International Children’s Project debuts in Malaysia

Apr 28, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Gazprom, the official partner of FIFA and the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, announced the opening of the Sixth Season of the Football for Friendship (F4F) International Children’s Social Project. The project was launched in Malaysia for the first time. The goal of the programme is to involve the young generation throughout the world in promoting the most important human values among their peers - friendship, equality, peace and respect for different cultures and nationalities.

The Football for Friendship (F4F) Open Draw was held in Moscow. The programme has expanded from 64 countries in 2017 to 211 countries and regions in 2018. 32 International Teams of Friendship were formed during the Open Draw, as well as playing roles for each Young Player from each country (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or forward) were determined. These 32 teams will compete at the Football for Friendship World Championship on June 12, 2018.

As per the Open Draw, the young ambassadors from Malaysia will participate as a “young coach” in its International Team of Friendship. The final events of the season will be held in Moscow, Russia 8-15 June 2018.

The day after the Football for Friendship World Championship, the Young Ambassadors will meet at the most important event — The Sixth International Football for Friendship Children’s Forum, where they will discuss ways of promoting the programme’s key values across the globe.

During the International Friendship Camp, Young Players under the guidance of Young Coaches and under the supervision of famous players will be learning thed F4F key values in the Nine Values School. The UN considers this initiative as a unique educational programme.

As an ecological initiative of Football for Friendship all the 32 International Teams of Friendship are named after endangered animals of all the continents of the world.

“FAM would first like to thank FIFA and Gazprom for this invitation. This is the first time that Malaysia will be sending a representative to participate in this F4F programme and we hope that the chosen Young Coach will contribute meaningfully throughout the programme and will bring the valuable knowledge and experience back to our country,” said Dato’ Hamidin Mohd Amin, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Gen

Sixteen-year old Imran Zakaria and Twelve-year old Lauren Hoh have been selected as Malaysia’s representatives at the global FOOTBALL FOR FRIENDSHIP (F4F) social programme.

Imran will join Young Coaches from around the world in Moscow in June 2018. He will act as a young coach for one of these teams and train the 12 year old players in his team for the championship.

Lauren will act as the young journalist and cover all the local and global activities of the F4F programme as part of the International Children’s Press Centre. She will also spread awareness on the Nine Values (friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions and honour) of the F4F programme.