Indonesian Boys Start Their Journey at Football for Friendship in Russia
Jakarta. Muhammad Raffa Yasin and Alfonso Hutabarat arrived in Moscow on Friday (08/06) to represent Indonesia at Football for Friendship, an international children's social program supported by Russian energy giant Gazprom and world football governing body FIFA.
Yasin joined young footballers from 211 countries participating in the Gazprom Football for Friendship International Championship, while Alfonso joined the International Children Press Center as a young journalist to report on the program.
The boys are accompanied by Gatot Widakdo, head of media relations and digital promotions at the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), and Metro TV journalist Yusra Ismail.
On the first day, Yasin joined the International Friendship Camp where he participated in a training program with his team and to adjust to the local playing conditions. Yasin has been included in the Grizzly Bear Team along with fellow footballers from Kosovo, Eritrea, Ghana, Qatar and Guyana.
The team will play its first game at the training ground of Spartak Football Academy in Moscow on Tuesday.
Alfonso meanwhile, will in addition to reporting on the Football for Friendship Championship, also be responsible for propagating Football for Friendship's nine key values, namely friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, tradition and honor.
After the Football for Friendship World Championship, the boys will attend the International Football for Friendship Children's Forum at Moskvarium on Wednesday to share their experiences and hold discussions with their peers, famous footballers and journalists. They will conclude their activities by attending the opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and get to watch the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium.
The Football for Friendship program includes several sports and educational events held in different countries around the globe. The sixth edition of the annual event involves 211 countries and regions this year, having expanded from 64 in 2017 and only eight in 2013, when it was initiated.
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