A seminar within the framework of the UAFF Open Fun Football Schools project ("Open Football Lessons") took place in Kyiv at the State Trade and Economic University, supported by the "New Democracy" Foundation and the Association for Cross-Cultural Projects (Denmark).

A distinctive feature of this educational program is that it involves not only young leaders—volunteers from Ukraine but also their counterparts from Denmark (on the Danish side—from the Slagelse municipality and the Danish Football Association). Among them are refugees from Ukraine who maintain ties with their homeland and seek opportunities to help it.

Photo courtesy of UAFF

From our side in Kyiv, representatives from 18 regions gathered, supported by regional football associations to create youth hubs in their communities for psychosocial support of children affected by the war through football activities. Project organizers are confident that during Euro all hub events will be dedicated to the national team's performances and plan to hold festivals "Open Football Lessons" with components of psychological support and mine safety this fall.

Photo courtesy of UAFF

Young people who gathered at the seminar believe in victory and link their future with Ukraine, focusing efforts on realizing their own volunteer football projects to support children in communities.

Photo courtesy of UAFF

The program was presented from the Ukrainian side by project coordinator Eugene Stolitenko and experts in sports, youth work, psychology, inclusion, and safety—Yevgenia Pavlova, Oleksiy Lazarenko, Lianna Kopilova, Vitaly Titaryuk, Serhiy Chesheyko, Maria Modlinska, and Victoria Yakovska.