On Wednesday, 5th September, 2007, OFC and UN will promote the Millennium Development Goals at the semi finals and finals of the XIII South Pacific Games
– Samoa 2007 Men’s and Women’s Football Tournament.
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and the United Nations (UN) will team up with Samoa Football (Soccer) Federation (SFSF) to help promote the UN Millennium Development
Goals at the XIII South Pacific Games Football Tournament.
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas said it was logical for OFC and the UN to join forces to help promote healthy lifestyles in the region.
“The UN Millennium Development Goals are a perfect fit with OFC’s own social responsibility programmes and it is logical that the XIII South Pacific Games Football Tournament can be used as a
platform to help build a better, healthier, Oceania. OFC senses a duty to assist the people of Oceania over and above the realm of football,” Nicholas said.
UN Resident Coordinator Naheed Haque agreed: “We are convinced of football’s social potential and there is a natural fit with the UN Millennium Development Goals aim to promote awareness
and reduction of child mortality, maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS, malaria, poverty, at the same time promoting education and gender equality,” Haque said.
“OFC and UN signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Tahiti last year and we are now starting to see the development of that agreement at the XIII South Pacific Games,” Nicholas
said.
“This partnership is excellent example of how global partnerships with organizations such as the UN, OFC and FIFA can collectively work towards poverty
alleviation. UN staff will be running spot prizes and giveaways of Millennium Development Goals promotional materials including UN caps, pocket calendars and
T-shirts,” Haque said.
The UN and SFSF will combine to promote the values of the Millennium Development Goals through SFSF’s very successful “Footy Kids” coaching programme with OFC’s pilot programme “Just Play”
set for launch in Samoa in 2008.
“Just Play” will focus on getting Oceania’s primary school children active and involved in football and sport from an early age and will be driven by OFC Head of Technical Development Jim
Selby.
“A strong focus of the UN System in the Pacific is to provide technical expertise and to facilitate capacity building for Pacific Island Nations to help them achieve the 8 Millennium
Development Goals by 2015,” Haque said.