Peace and reconciliation through football

More than 25,000 girls and boys and 5,000 voluntary coaches and leaders take part in the UEFA-backed Open Fun Football Schools (OFFS) programme, which aims to use the power of football to build bridges between regions with a history of conflicts and to gather people across different ethnic, social or religious backgrounds.

The programme led by UEFA's social responsibility partner the Cross Cultures Project Association (CCPA) runs during the months of August and September in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Transcaucasia regions.

"The Open Fun Football School leverages the energy of the game to gather people across cultural divides, and more," explains Anders Levinsen, founder and CEO of the Open Fun Football Schools.

"We train coaches in our holistic coaching philosophy which involves the head, the heart and the legs – namely creativity, empathy, and skills – in order to create a sense of community based on healthy habits, social values and know-how."

Indeed, this method focuses on activities that are motivating and meaningful. It seeks to turn knowledge and passion into tools for action and change, providing both children and adults with alternative stories and positions to those of conflict.

The programme, which attracted a 40% female participation this summer, proves to be rather successful with participants.

"We have learned that you cannot win a football match by yourself, and since Croatians, Bosnians and Serbs have to play as a team, we have to talk to each other," said Maglaj, a Bosnian student.

"Sport is fun and lots of people love it. Culture and ethnicity set no limits in sport. Football is a common language that everyone speaks."

Since 1998, the Open Fun Football Schools have reached out to more than 950,000 children, 52,000 parents and 79,000 local volunteers from conflict-sensitive communities. Moreover, 36,000 local coaches have been educated in specific community-based and child-centred approaches.