OFC President and FIFA Vice-President David Chung attended the opening and emphasised the importance of football development at a grassroots level during his address to the participants.
“FIFA places great importance on grassroots development, a foundation upon which societies are built,” he said.
“It is important to invest in grassroots development, especially football in schools as that is the first step towards climbing to the top. Football should be used as a school of life, reaching the youth of a country to provide activities and new opportunities for both boys and girls,” he added.
“OFC and the Vanuatu Football Federation share a vision to take football to the people in rural areas and build better communities through good youth development programmes.”
FIFA Com-Unity is a presidential programme, the purpose of which is to improve awareness of the value football can have in a country. As such, the courses are intended to improve cooperation and communication between a member association, its government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the country, other partners and the media.
Furthermore, the programmes distribute knowledge on communication and marketing skills to help member associations attract partners and sponsors.
Each Com-Unity course is a three-day programme of working sessions organised by the member association in cooperation with FIFA. They bring together key representatives from the government, NGOs, media and the national football family, and are intended to be open to the whole community.
FIFA development officer for Oceania Glenn Turner arranged this week’s seminar in conjunction with the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) and he explained the need to work together for the good of the game.
“The reality is that we in football are looking for assistance and our role at OFC is to help VFF and other member associations develop their game,” he said. “The mission of Com-Unity is to build capacity and increase national pride in teams and people.”
VFF President Lambert Maltock is delighted that the federation was given the chance to host another FIFA Com-Unity seminar, the second such course to be held in Vanuatu.
“Football is a tool of education and helps to change the lives of young people in this country,” he said. “I am so happy that FIFA and OFC can come back to organise our second FIFA Com-Unity course and please all participants. We need to enjoy the course and learn as much as we can from the FIFA instructors.”
Ministry of Youth and Sport representative Marcel Manua had the honour of opening the seminar and described it as a timely and important moment in the development of football in Vanuatu.
“Congratulations to OFC and FIFA for this effective initiative which in the long run will bring all sports organisations in Vanuatu together for a common purpose – to help our young people love sport and use it as a great tool for education.”
Mr Manua also confirmed that the Ministry of Youth and Sport has agreed to donate VUV 1million to support VFF’s Teouma Academy programme in 2011.
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu