A large charity event in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Unity for Victory" took place in Kostriно village, uniting children and adults from various regions of Ukraine.

At the invitation of the head of the Kostriно Village Council, Vasyl Cherewka, the youth hub of the Zakarpattya Football Association organized an "Open Football Festival" for over 200 children aged 4 to 16.

The event was attended by children from Kostriно and Stavneno communities as well as more than 100 boys and girls from Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions who were affected by the full-scale war. They are undergoing a 10-day psychotherapeutic rehabilitation at the "Children's Lucky Land" camp located in the health resort complex "Krasia," thanks to the charitable fund "Happy Child Land."

Photo ZAF

At the ceremonial opening of the event, Vasyl Cherewka, head of ZAF Ivan Duran, and the border guard department chief of Great Bereznyi Mykola Nizovets addressed the participants with welcoming words. In addition to volunteers in traditional football, safety, and psychological locations, representatives of the Great Bereznyi border service also participated, acquainting children with their work.

Photo ZAF

At the conclusion, girls and boys received participation diplomas and gifts from Kostriно community and ZAF, while all schools received footballs from the Ukrainian Football Association. The Zakarpattya Football Association expresses gratitude to local community representatives for their hospitality as well as Vasyl Khmelnytskyi and TM "Vishkovo" for mineral water "Strength of the Carpathians."

Photo ZAF

The project of the Ukrainian Football Association "Open Football Festivals" is:

• youth leadership in communities;
• psychosocial support for children of Armed Forces of Ukraine servicemen, internally displaced persons' children, and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship between IDP children and local children, social integration;
• inclusive environment where everyone participates, including children with special educational needs;
• knowledge of safety in wartime conditions;
• philosophy of mass football - joy from the game instead of any price for results;
• cultivation of a healthy lifestyle;
• volunteer development;
• activation of local communities through cross-sectoral networks (youth leaders, teachers, coaches, psychologists, security experts, parents, local authorities, benefactors, etc.).