BY BVI Football Association
(L-R) Deshawn Richardson and Ryan Ramlall will be gong to the World Cup 2018 in Russia as part of “Gazprom Football For Friendship”, an international children’s social programme supported by Soccer’s World Governing Body, FIFA and UEFA. Photos: provided
The BVI Football Association is pleased to announce that both Ryan Ramlall and Deshawn Richardson will be gong to the World Cup 2018 in Russia as part of “Gazprom Football For Friendship”, an international children’s social programme supported by Soccer’s World Governing Body, FIFA and UEFA.
The participants will be split into teams and organized using the “football for friendship” principle – athletes of different nationalities, different genders and different physical abilities will play in one team. Each team will be trained by young coaches from different countries and 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.
As an ecological initiative of Football for Friendship, all the 32 International Friendship Teams will be named after endangered animals of all the continents of the world
Chaperoned by the Mr. Richie Morton and Mr. Ramlall, Deshawn from Virgin Gorda will be going as a player, whilst Ryan, also from VG and attending the Bregado Flax Educational Center, decided to say ‘yes!’ to this opportunity to represent the BVI as a young journalist.
“I love sports and I love writing – a combination of which makes me a great junior reporter and I am thankful that I am given this rare and unique opportunity to help promote football and important human values such as friendship, equality and fairness. Most importantly, this opportune global event enhances a critical focus: FRIENDSHIP. That is, in my opinion, what would and should help to improve our world, making it a better place through the Football for Friendship Programme,” said Ryan.
The event culminates with the Football for Friendship World Championship on June 12, 2018. The next day the young ambassadors will meet at the most important event, the Football for Friendship International Children’s Forum, where they will discuss ways of promoting the programme’s key values across the globe.
During their time at the F4F, young players, under the guidance of young coaches and under the supervision of famous players, will be learning about 9 key values of the F4F programme in the Nine Values School: Tradition, Peace, Friendship, Victory, Equality, Health, Fairness, Respect and Devotion.
This initiative has already been recognized by the UN as a unique educational programme.
211 countries and regions joined the Football for Friendship in 2018, with the final events of the season held in Moscow, Russia, 8-15 June 2018.
