The UN and the Football Federation of Turkmenistan promote a healthy lifestyle among young people
UNICEF in Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the Football Federation, the Ministry of Education and in coordination with the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of Turkmenistan, promoted a healthy lifestyle through sports at a football tournament aimed at schoolchildren and youth of Dashoguz and Lebap regions.
The actions were held on April 19 and 22 as the final events of the Joint Program "Empowering youth to mitigate multidimensional threats of a pandemic in the field of health", implemented by the Government of Turkmenistan with the support of four UN agencies – UNICEF, UNFPA, UNODC and IOM.
Schoolchildren and young people had the opportunity to learn how to play football at an interactive master class held by professional football players and compete in a mini-football tournament. The event was a great success, schoolchildren and young people showed enthusiasm and keen interest in sports, and many children expressed strong motivation to continue playing sports, demonstrated readiness for physical and mental improvement.
— I have been playing football since I was 5 years old, and I really like to win. However, I am very glad that friendship won today. It was a lot of fun. In the future, I want to become a professional football player and win international championships," said Jafar Jumabayev, a 10-year-old player of the Dashoguz Almaz football team.
— Sport is an important aspect of children's development. It has a positive effect not only on their health, but also on academic performance and leadership qualities. We are sure that such events contribute to the popularization of sports among children and motivate them to stay active. We thank the Football Federation for the close cooperation that contributes to the health and well-being of every child in Turkmenistan," concluded Mohammad Fayyazi, UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan.
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