211 Countries and Regions Took Part in the Sixth International Football for Friendship Children's Forum and the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony

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     (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/706561/Viktor_Zubkov.jpg )

     (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/706562/Young_F4F_Ambassadors_at_the_FIFA.jpg )

This Season was unique: 211 countries and regions participated in the event, representing six continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania, North and South America.

1,500 children and their caregivers from around the world took part in the Forum. Total number of participants and guests topped 5,000. The Forum was attended by boys and girls including with disabilities as Young Players, Young Journalists and Young Coaches. A single common mission united them: promotion of human values, such as friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions, honour.

The event welcomed representatives of the Administration of the President, Olympic Committee, FIFA, Heads of the Football Federations, football stars, Olympic and Paralympic Champions and public figures. Iker Casillas, a Spanish football player, goalkeeper and captain of Portu greeted the young participants of Football for Friendship. Head Coach of the Russian junior team Alexander Kerzhakov, Syrian football player Firas Al-Khatib and Prince, Saudi Arabian Football Federation Administrative Director Abdulrahman Bin Ibrahim Al-Sayyar addressed to the children.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom Viktor Zubkov has opened the Forum. Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Olga Golodets also greeted the Forum participants on behalf of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

"Gazprom being one the most social-oriented company in the world has always been supporting the promotion of children's sports. Football is the most popular sport and I think it fits the best in order to unite people on the basis of values that are close to each person on our Planet, no matter what country they live in. This is the possibility for the children to find new friends and achieve success in sports together," said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom Viktor Zubkov.

This year's winner of the children's voting for the reception of the main award of the project, the Nine Values Cup, was announced at the Forum. Among the 32 national teams, participating in the World Cup, young participants of the Football for Friendship have chosen the Brazilian national team for most fully meeting F4F values. The top three also included Russian and German teams.

Moreover, Young Ambassadors of the Gazprom International Children`s social programme Football for Friendship visited the FIFA World Cup at the Luzhniki stadium. During the Opening ceremony that preceded the first match of the Championship between national teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia, the young sportsmen of the Football for Friendship from all the continents solemnly raised the flags their countries, participating in the programme this year. The flags of 211 states and regions rose up on the stadium`s tribunes during the song Angels performed by the famous British singer Robbie Williams and the Russian opera singer Aida Garifullina.

After the opening ceremony the Young Ambassadors of football and friendship with great pleasure supported the game of the national teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia, that ended by the brilliant victory of the host country of the Championship with the score 5:0.

SOURCE Gazprom Football for Friendship