MOSCOW, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Today, the International Day of Football and Friendship is celebrated in over 200 cities of the world with special events promoting friendship, mutual respect and healthy living. Tens of thousands of children and adults are participating in friendly matches, open training sessions, flash mobs and sporting events. This day everyone who shares such important human values as equality, respect for different cultures and peaceful coexistence ties a blue-and-green Friendship bracelet on his/her wrist as a symbol of the Gazprom International Children's social Programme Football for Friendship . The blue thread stands for peaceful sky, and the green is a football field open to everyone. The participants are supported by famous footballers, coaches, television hosts, actors and government officers worldwide.
In Algeria, young sportsmen held a spring cleaning at one of the largest municipal football stadiums to pay respect to the F4F key values, followed by friendly matches between local children and the programme's Young Ambassadors. In South Africa , the youth football academy Young Bafana held a friendly beach football match, and before that, a golf competition - after all, real friendship is possible in any sport.
Talented children from across the world are participating in the sixth season of the Football for Friendship programme. For instance, Yazan Taha, 12, a Young Journalist, popular blogger and football co-commentator from Syria, became a member of the International Children's Press сenter. Poadey Sébastien is a Young Footballer from New Caledonia, the pearl of Oceania, who has played football since he was 4 and is one of the youngest players in his national team, Stade de Koniambo Football Club.
"This year I am very lucky to have the chance to participate in the Football for Friendship programme. Their core values mean a lot to me, especially equality, fairness and victory. No one can live in harmony without sharing them! I'm happy that soon I will see Russia for the first time, there I will meet new friends and will develop my skills," said Bennett Wehibe , F4F Young Ambassador from the USA.
"Football is my passion since childhood! I can't imagine my life without sports and my friends. I`m sure that thanks to Football for Friendship I will make one more step closer to my dream of becoming a professional footballer," added Swan Drame , F4F Young Ambassador from France.
