A project event of the Ukrainian Football Association "Open Football Lessons", supporting children affected by the war, took place in Dnipro.

The festival on the "Olympic Reserves" stadium was organized by the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Football Association. This large-scale event gathered 72 children, including students from various schools in Dnipro and internally displaced children from Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions.

Photo by AFD

The classes were conducted by six experienced coaches: Yevgen Fetisov, Dmitry Ryaboi, Marina Zhuravlova, Ivan Ilyukhin, Vitaliy Shachkov and Ivan Sosna. They organized various fun games and relays for the children using balls, hoops, cones, sticks, jump ropes, and ropes. During the classes, the kids had an opportunity to learn elements of football technique.

Special attention was given to a safety corner where children were taught rules of safe behavior during wartime. Additionally, the youngsters received valuable knowledge from qualified professionals about strengthening health, immunity, and proper nutrition.

Photo by AFD

Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Football Association Yaroslav Derevyanyko emphasized: "We sincerely thank all participants and organizers for such a wonderful project and contribution to the development of children's football in Dnipropetrovsk region!"

The Ukrainian Football Association and regional associations' project "Open Football Lessons" supported by UEFA is:

• psychosocial support for children of military personnel, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among IDP children with local children, social integration;
• inclusive environment, participants regardless of skill level, 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;
• nurturing a healthy lifestyle;
• development of volunteering;
• activation of local communities through cross-sectoral networks (teachers, coaches, psychologists, safety experts, parents, youth leaders, local authorities, patrons, etc.).

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