Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s commitment to inspire and empower communities through football was further underlined on Friday as the AFC Social Responsibility (SR) Committee concluded its fourth meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Setting the tone for the meeting, Chairman Ahmed Eid S. Al Harbi (Saudi Arabia) welcomed members by reiterating the AFC’s five key strategic pillar outlined in its Vision and Mission – children and young people, integrity and education, social inclusion, health and humanitarian relief.
The chairman updated the committee on the launch of the AFC Dream Asia Foundation by the AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in March and its role in distributing aid in an efficient and transparent way to needy causes in Asia.
As part of the AFC’s efforts to expand opportunities to people of all abilities, members of the Committee agreed on the dates for the AFC Dream Asia Cerebral Palsy U-19 Tournament 2017, which is now scheduled to place from September 29 to October 8, 2017.
Organised in partnership with the International Federation for Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF), the competition will see Asia’s top eight CP football national sides compete for the three coveted spots at the IFCPF World Championships Under-19 Tournament in Sant Cugat, Spain, in August 2018.
Host Bidding documents will be sent to Member Associations in May to determine the venue for the landmark competition and should the host nation fall outside of the top eight ranked teams, the top seven teams will compete alongside the host.
Committee Members also approved the timelines and the proposed Independent Panel of Judges for the AFC Dream Asia Awards 2016/2017 which will now be held in July.
The meeting concluded with a review of the extensive assistance and support programmes currently ongoing, including the legacy activities at the AFC Village in Tacloban, Philippines, and the rebuilding of the Shree Seti Devi Higher Secondary School, in Sindhupalchowk, Nepal.
The AFC is also committed to organising a social responsibility workshop on empowering women in Palestine during the AFC Men’s U-23 Championship 2017 Qualifiers in July this year. The administration is also working with key NGOs on several pilot programmes across the continent as well as legacy partners, Coaches Across Continents.
Photo: AFC