Thursday , March 28 2024

FIFA Foundation Festival shows power of football to change lives!

For some people, playing football completes them. Just ask 16-year-old Abu Sesey from Freetown who tragically lost his right leg when he was five years old during a conflict in his native Sierra Leone, “Football is what I love. When I’m playing, I feel complete. I feel like I have no amputation. I feel like we are all equal.”

Sesey is one of the many young people from around the world taking part in the FIFA Foundation Festival in Moscow this week, capped off with a football tournament in Red Square on Friday.

His is a unique story, but it illustrates a common theme around what all of the participants can teach us – that football has the power to unite, inspire and change lives.

“Football is much more than a game. It’s a fantastic tool to make sure this world becomes a better place,” stressed FIFA’s Head of Sustainability and Diversity Federico Addiechi speaking at the festival, which brings together 48 non-governmental organisations from 38 countries not only for the football tournament, but also a leadership programme held prior.

Several FIFA Legends attended the ten-day FIFA Foundation Festival, including Karina LeBlanc (Canada), Roberto Carlos (Brazil), Christian Karembeu (France), Stipe Pletikosa (Croatia) and Dimitry Sennikov (Russia).

“This is an opportunity for FIFA to highlight organisations that are supporting us day in and day out, over many years, using football to tackle social issues. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for the young people who have been chosen because of their leadership potential and commitment to drive positive change,” added Addiechi.

More information about FIFA Foundation Festival including video and photos is available on FIFA.com.

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