UNIS Vienna Holds Charity Soccer Tournament

UNIS/INF/104
29 September 2005

Marks International Year of Sport and Physical Education

VIENNA, 29 September (UN Information Service) - United Nations staff, diplomats and representatives of media and local government will come together to play soccer on Saturday, 1 October 2005 at the Sportcenter Donaustadt in Vienna. This unique event - a charity soccer tournament - is organized by the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, on the occasion of the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, which is being marked in 2005. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this observance, with the aim of using sport to promote education, health, development and peace.

All the proceeds of the tournament will be donated to Child-Care-Afrika, an Austrian NGO that builds wells in Namibia, and refurbishes older watering systems, thus establishing the necessary conditions for farmers to cultivate crops, and setting a positive step towards achieving some of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Six teams made up of UN staff members, diplomats, media and representatives of the council of the 22nd district of Vienna (host district to the Vienna International Centre) will compete for first place. Following the tournament, there will be an auction of prizes, such as T-shirts signed by celebrities including United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the football players of Liverpool FC, and other leading sports personalities. The proceeds will be donated to Child-Care-Afrika.

The radio reporters Hermes and Duncan Larkin of FM-4 will provide a live commentary of the event in English and German. Drummers from Burkina Faso will perform live music to cheer the teams on.

As a special feature, the teams will use Millennium Development Goals Footballs, produced and donated by Don Bosco Aktion Austria, with which this international NGO wishes to raise awareness of the MDGs and to extend an invitation to continue building a better world.

The tournament is supported by the City of Vienna, RailCargo Austria, Teamsport Zens and Europrint Znaim. Kick-off time is at 15:00 hours. There is no entrance or admission fee, but donations to Child-Care-Afrika are appreciated.

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When: Saturday, 1 October 2005, 15.00-17.30 hours

Where: Sportcenter Donaustadt, Arbeiterstrandbadstrasse 128, 1220 Vienna,
next to the Vienna International Centre (VIC).

For information contact:

Veronika Crowe-Mayerhofer
United Nations Information Service Vienna
Telephone: +43 1 260 60 3342
E-mail: veronika.crowe-mayerhofer@unvienna.org