Two Sri Lankan boys, Dinuka Bandara and Ayaan Sadath both aged 12 and ardent football enthusiasts have been selected as the country’s representatives at the Global Football for Friendship (F4F) social programme.
The F4F programme is supported by FIFA and aims at developing youth football and a healthy lifestyle as well as promoting tolerance, open-mindedness and respect for different cultures and nationalities between children from across the globe.
This year, the F4F programme has expanded to 211 countries and regions and Sri Lanka will participate in the programme for the first time.
Dinuka Bandara will join young footballers from around the world in Moscow in June and the children will be part of the 32 International Teams of Friendship.
They will play against one another in the Gazprom Football for Friendship International Championship and the friendly tournament aims to bring together children from around the world to celebrate the unifying spirit of football.
Ayaan Sadath will act as the young journalist and report on all the local and global activities of the F4F programme as part of the International Children’s Press Centre. He will also spread awareness on the Nine Values (friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions and honour) of the F4F programme.
Bandara and Sadath, will also participate in the Football for Friendship International Children’s Forum in Russia, where the youngsters will get a chance to meet their peers from other countries, share their experiences and discuss with famous footballers and journalists on how to promote key values of the F4F Programme around the world.
The sixth season of the F4F programme will conclude with a visit by the participating children to the opening ceremony and the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2018 which starts in June. Speaking on the selection of the young ambassadors by Manchester Soccer Academy, Muheed Jeeran (Director of International Affairs and Advisor) said: “The selection of the young ambassadors from Sri Lanka is an extension of our support to this unique global initiative.
The programme is a wonderful opportunity for the ambassadors to build ties of friendship among children from around the world and foster peace and harmony through the beautiful game of football.
“We wish our young ambassadors all the best for the programme and look forward to their contribution in promoting the key values of the programme in Russia, as well as in Sri Lanka”.
For the past five years, more than 3700 people have participated in the programme.
Football for Friendship is supported by FIFA, UEFA, the International Olympic Committee, football federations of various countries, international children’s charity funds and the world’s leading football clubs.
The 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.
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