Over 70 children — boys and girls aged between 10 and 12 from general education schools in the Zhovkiv territorial community — participated this week in the «Open Football Festivals» project at the Zhovkiv stadium «Roztochche».

This traditional nationwide sports and social festival of the Ukrainian Association of Football was organized by the Lviv Football Association with the support of the Zhovkiv City Council and active assistance from football club «Zhovkva».

Photo by Stepan Poniaid and Galyna Komanko

With welcoming words to the participants, Stepan Poniaid, first deputy head of the Lviv Football Association and coordinator of the project in Lviv region, Ostap Holinka, head of the culture, youth, and sports department at Zhovkiv City Council, and Roman Rudnytskyi, chairman of the physical culture and sports association FC «Zhovkva», addressed the audience. Before this, everyone sang the Ukrainian National Anthem and observed a moment of silence in memory of those who died as a result of Russian aggression in our country.

After an energetic warm-up, the football field was divided into six special squares: «Relays», «Football technique: goalkeeper play, goal defense, attack completion, accuracy kicks», «Safety», «Game technique: ball control, pass and receive», «Games», and «Football». In these squares, experienced coaches from the LAF, Andriy Smolyskyi, Volodymyr Hevko, Galyna Komanko, as well as local coaches Viktor Tretiakov, Pavlo Bagryi, and Ivan Demchishyn worked with the children.

Photo by Stepan Poniaid and Galyna Komanko

They conducted various educational games, exercises, and relays for the children. In the safety square, police officers familiarized the children with rules of safe behavior during wartime.

During breaks, the children could enjoy sweets, fruits, and refreshments, and at the end of their activities in the squares, they received footballs, diplomas, and exclusive commemorative t-shirts. Such an event brought them together in a warm, friendly atmosphere, gave them unforgettable emotions, a charge of enthusiasm, useful knowledge, and new friends.

Photo by Stepan Poniaid and Galyna Komanko

We express gratitude to the stadium «Roztochche» director Ihor Marinia, Zhovkiv city mayor Oleh Volskyi, football club «Zhovkva» president Ivan Kostyuk, head of education department at Zhovkiv City Council Mariya Derevinska, announcer Mykola Sadzhanitsyi, videographer Oleksandr Syphukhin, physical education teachers who accompanied the children, and everyone involved in organizing this large-scale event.

Photo by Stepan Poniaid and Galyna Komanko

The Ukrainian Association of Football's «Open Football Festivals» project is:

• youth leadership in communities;
• psychosocial support for children of military servicemen, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among IDP children and local children, social integration;
• an inclusive environment in which everyone participates, including children with special educational needs;
• knowledge of safety during wartime;
• philosophy of mass football — joy from playing instead of results at any cost;
• cultivation of a healthy lifestyle;
• volunteer development;
• activation of local communities through cross-sectoral networks (youth leaders, teachers, coaches, psychologists, safety experts, parents, local authorities, benefactors, etc.).