A wonderful football event for communication and establishing friendly connections among children took place in Ostrozhets, Dubensky district, at the local stadium "Kolos". The project involved 72 children, including those with special educational needs, internally displaced children, children deprived of parental care, and children of soldiers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Photo ROAF

After the ceremonial part, the stadium was completely handed over to coaches, volunteers, and children. The festival participants were looking forward to positive emotions, social integration, fostering a healthy lifestyle, volunteer support, and psychological assistance.

The football festival for children was organized by volunteer leader Oleg Yurchuk, who oversaw the strong and coordinated work of coaches Olha Kovalchuk, Yuliya Mosiychuk, Tetiana Yakobchuk, Natalia Yurchuk, Serhiy Ustimchuk, police officer Volodymyr Kuzhekin, representatives of juvenile police, as well as volunteers Nadia Naumchuk, Natalia Vorobyey, Yuliya Vorobyey, Katya Pogolyska, Angelina Mudryk, Olya Zakharchuk, Illa Kovalev and others. The football field for children was prepared by FSK "Horizont" (director - Yuriy Karpych).

Photo ROAF

The village head Taras Hordiychuk provided support and contributed to the event.

All participants of the festival expressed gratitude to our soldiers who bravely defend the state, allowing us to live and create.

"By holding this event, we demonstrated that all children have a right to happy and carefree childhood, to good mood and positive emotions. Therefore, we will make every effort to turn this football festival into an annual tradition for the community of Ostrozhets," — concluded Oleg Yurchuk.

"Open Football Lessons" are:

• psychosocial support for children of military personnel, internally displaced children, and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among children of IDPs with local children, social integration;
• inclusive environment, participants regardless of ability level or gender, as well as the participation of children with special educational needs;
• safety knowledge in wartime conditions;
• philosophy of mass football - joy from playing instead of results at any cost;
• fostering a healthy lifestyle;
• development of volunteering;
• activation of local communities through intersectoral networks (teachers, coaches, psychologists, security experts, parents, youth leaders, local authorities, patrons and others).

All project events are held in regions with the approval of regional military administrations.