MOSCOW, February 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
2018 Football for Friendship (F4F) Open Draw was held today in Moscow. F4F is the International Children's Social programme implemented by Gazprom company - official partner of FIFA and the World Cup Russia 2018. 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. 211 countries and regions joined the Football for Friendship in 2018. The final events of the season will be held in Moscow, Russia, 8-15 June 2018.
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/642544/Gazprom_Football_for_Friendship_2018.jpg )
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. The teams are organized using the "football for friendship" principle - athletes of different nationalities, different genders and different physical abilities will play in one team. Age of players is 12. Each International mixed Team of Friendship will be trained by Young Coaches - football players of 14-16 y.o. from different countries. More than 5000 media from around the world will cover the programme events, as well as the F4F International Children's Press Center, consisting of young 12-year-old journalists from 211 countries and regions. National selections of participants who will become Young Ambassadors of peace, friendship and equality in their countries have started all over the world.
As ecological initiative of Football for Friendship all the 32 International Teams of Friendship named after endangered animals of all the continents of the world. F4F Young Ambassadors from different countries participated in the Open Draw ceremony: Zahar Badyuk (Russia), Runqi Cui (China), Juan Manuel Pinola Silveira (Uruguay), Lilya Matsumoto (Japan), Ananya Kamboj (India), Christopher Sowah Mensah (Ghana). The Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC Gazprom Mr. Victor Zubkov, FIFA Secretary General Ms. Fatma Samoura, Russian figure skater, Olympic champion Ms. Adelina Sotnikova, Two-time champion of Russia, European rugby champion in wheelchairs Mr. Yuri Kamenets, the Legend of world football Mr. Marco van Basten addressed to the participants with the words of support for the programme Football for Friendship.
The video version of the 2018 Football for Friendship Open Draw is available on the F4F official YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/FOOTBALL4FRIENDSHIP .
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