Media Advisory
UNIS/NAR/817
8 October 2003
"Football without Borders" Camp Opening Next Week
WHAT: The Football without Borders camp is bringing together young football players from Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar to play football together, share cultures and learn healthy life skills. The camp aims at promoting goodwill, leadership and living a healthy lifestyle through sport. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Asian Football Confederation are organizing Football without Borders, and the camp is being hosted by the Qatar National Olympic Committee.
WHERE: Al Ittehad Football Complex, Doha, Qatar
WHEN: 16-20 October 2003
PRESS CONFERENCE: A press conference will be held at 11 am, Thursday, 16 October, 1st Floor, Qatar National Olympic Committee Building.
BACKGROUND: Eighty boys, aged 12-14, have been selected from the participating countries for the camp. The boys chosen reflect the ethnic and religious balance of their respective countries. Although the campers selected should be good footballers, they are also potential leaders who can share their experiences at the camp with their peers at home.
Once at the camp, the boys will be divided into four multinational teams. They will share living quarters with their new teammates, eat together and participate in workshops led by UNODC to help them develop the knowledge to make healthy lifestyle choices. International professional football stars will also attend the camp and work with the boys.
The UN workshops will be held as a complement to the football aspect of the camp, using practical experiences that arise in the camp to emphasize the principles of sport and their value in real life decision-making.
The football associations of the four countries are also sending youth coaches who will participate in every aspect of the camp and serve as chaperones. The coaches will receive special training to better understand the qualities of sport that promote the overall development of young people. These coaches have been selected based on their ability to return to their home countries and pass on what they learn at Football without Borders.
SPONSORS: Sponsors of the camp include Mitre, Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods GCC. Uniforms for the players are being provided by Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Media Contacts:
Shannon Brown
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(43 1) 26060 4108
shannon.brown@unodc.org
Abdullah Al-Mulla
Qatar Sports International
(974) 550 7524
For more information on Football without Borders, visit www.unodc.org.
