Football for Schools enters a new era in Hong Kong
The power of football to empower youths all around the world continues across the Asia pacific as the Football For Schools project in Hong Kong was launched in December to assist with the promotion of essential life and social skills through active participation in sports. This past December 8th 2023, FIFA Football For School (F4S) officially was launched in cooperation with the Hong Chi Association, which was established in 1965.
The Hong Chi Association is a well known and non-profit organization in Hong Kong dedicated to serving people with intellectual disabilities, including 14 special schools. Hong Chi Association provides services to approximately 9,000 people of different ages and levels of intellectual disabilities.
With lofty goals and with a global aim, FIFA's Football for Schools initiative, will run in collaboration with UNESCO with the overall goal to contribute to the education, development and empowerment of some 700 million children worldwide.
The programme seeks to make football more accessible but, equally importantly, the programme is designed to promote life skills and competencies through the sport.
Football for Schools is a programme where football meets education, inspiring children to learn life skills through fun football sessions. It embodies the vision of FIFA President Gianni Infantino: making football truly global and accessible for all. Football is a powerful platform, which can be used to impact society and bring people together. Football as a sport also has a remarkable influence on the educational process.
Football for Schools introduces the positive values of football into children's education and development process. Children are encouraged to learn through play in a supportive and enthusiastic environment.
Fatimata Sidibé, Director FIFA Football for Schools stressed the importance of the project:
"Football can be used as a tool for education, to not just deliver more opportunities for physical education, but also to train coach educators to pass along important life skills to children and therefore have a positive impact on their lives.
This launch is the culmination of a sincere and committed effort on the part of the Hong Kong Football Association, the Hong Kong Education Bureau. and FIFA to contribute to the education, development, and empowerment of young children across the country.
In addition, FIFA is organizing this launch in cooperation with the Hong Chi Association. This is a new initiative by the Football for Schools program that we are trying out in Hong Kong for the first time. We hope that this new initiative will allow the Football for Schools program to reach more children around the world.
Our goal is to ensure that anyone that wants to play football knows they can do so through their school and community without concern for discriminatory, financial, or logistical barriers. In turn, we want to ensure that schools and communities have access to the football coaching and equipment needed to support these kids.
On behalf of FIFA and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Football Federation, the Hong Kong Education Bureau, and the Hong Chi Association, who have been excellent partners throughout the implementation of the Football for Schools program."
Football for Schools is about education, life skills, promotion of women and non-violence. Football is a "school of life". It empowers children to make their own decisions and take responsibility in a responsive and supportive environment.
The overall aim for FIFA is for every child across the world to have the opportunity to play football, through the 211 FIFA member associations, and in doing so to learn and pick up life skills.