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Jeonbuk State, in collaboration with the Jeonbuk State Office of Education and Jeonbuk Physicl Education Middle & High School, is continuing international exchange and friendship through sports by delivering sports equipment donated by students to youth in three African nations. On the 5th, the State and the Office of Education held a send-off ceremony at Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School for the project titled “Re; Play Together, Jeonbuk Sports Friendship Gifts,” shipping the items to Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Namibia. The theme, ‘Re; Play Together,’ signifies resuming games (Re; Play) that had been halted due to a shortage of soccer balls and sports gear, this time together with Jeonbuk.

This initiative goes beyond mere material support; it aims to practice solidarity and friendship across borders through sports and to expand the foundation for exchange among future generations. In particular, sharing equipment that students actually used spreads the value of sharing while extending Jeonbuk’s international sports diplomacy into schools and the local community. The project originated from visits last year by officials from Zimbabwe and Namibia, with whom Jeonbuk has maintained international sports exchanges. During their visit to Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School, they requested support for sports equipment. Students readily agreed to contribute, leading to a broader international exchange program supported by the State, the Office of Education, and the school. The donated items total 616 pieces across 12 sports, including soccer, taekwondo, shooting, archery, swimming, etc. —comprising both gear previously used by students and new items collected for this project. The equipment will be delivered to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and National Olympic Committees of each country via Zimbabwean diplomatic missions and international shipping. It will then be distributed to young athletes and youth active in organizations such as the Kirsty Coventry Academy in Zimbabwe, the Waitaka Taekwondo Club in Kenya, and the MTC Hopsol Youth Soccer League in Namibia.

Kim Jong-phil, Director General of Jeonbuk State’s 2036 Summer Olympics Bid Department, stated: “I hope the precious sports items that nurtured the dreams of our Jeonbuk students will serve as a new source of hope for African youth. Moving forward, we will continue to promote international exchange through sports, guided by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) core values of inclusion and solidarity.” Im Young-gun, Director of Arts, Physical Ed & Health Division at the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, said, “It was a meaningful opportunity for our students to put into practice the spirit of sportsmanship through sharing and caring while developing a global perspective. We hope that the students’ small but heartfelt gesture will be warmly received by young people in Africa.”

Meanwhile, Jeonbuk State has been steadily expanding its international sports network by dispatching a Taekwondo demonstration team to the World Taekwondo U-21 Championship in Kenya, participating in the World Union of Olympic Cities General Assembly, and broadening sports exchanges with African nations. Starting with the “Sports Friendship Gift” pilot project, Jeonbuk State plans to consider expanding the countries and sports covered by the initiative, while also promoting the hosting of international sporting events and exchange programs inviting young athletes from overseas, with the goal of developing Jeonbuk into a specialized international sports city.

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AFC Dream Asia Foundation Board of Trustees approves milestone social responsibility programmes

Nagoya, Japan :The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Dream Asia Foundation’s Board of Trustees (BoT) reaffirmed its dedication to expanding the Confederation’s social development efforts after approving four landmark initiatives during its fifth meeting today in Nagoya, Japan.

Under the guidance of Chairperson HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal, the programmes will channel football infrastructure and funding directly into vulnerable communities. Two projects utilise the mandatory five per cent (5%) social responsibility allocation from the AFC Champions League Elite™ and AFC Champions League Two™ prize funds earned by clubs in Japan and the United Arab Emirates, while the other two address urgent regional disaster recovery in Myanmar and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Leading the disaster recovery front is the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s “Rebuild, Better, Stronger” Programme. Scheduled for completion in February 2027, this comprehensive community recovery initiative will restore the Northern Mariana Islands Soccer Training Center, which sustained critical damage from the Category 5 Super Typhoon Sinlaku on April 14, 2026. The Foundation’s funding will replace essential equipment, restore facilities with resilient infrastructure, and re-engage heavily impacted youth through safe football activities. The BoT also approved another vital infrastructural initiative via the Myanmar Football Federation’s Mandalay Football Academy Recovery Programme. Launched as a direct response to the devastating earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025, which left the academy building structurally unsafe, this project is scheduled for completion in November 2027. The recovery initiative will rebuild a modern, resilient centre of excellence to safely house and train 140 football students aged 12–17, while fully restoring the talent pathway for local coaches, referees, and football clubs. Further expanding the Foundation’s reach into civic development, Kawasaki Frontale will utilise their mandatory five percent (5%) prize money allocation as runners-up of the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25™ to launch the “Blue Dream” Programme. This 12-month initiative directly addresses the “play crisis” in Kawasaki City, where 90% of local parks ban ball games. The club’s three-pillar strategy, spanning Safeguarding, Education, and Social Inclusion, features a food drive for 25,000 participants, the “Blue Santa” hospital initiative, therapy dogs for 2,000 children, inclusive football clinics for 150,000 people, and a Resilience Project teaching 500 children lessons from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

In a similar commitment to community impact through club success, AFC Champions League Two 2024/25™ champions Sharjah Football Club will deploy their prize money to fund the “Football for Hope” Programme. To be delivered in partnership with The Big Heart Foundation from November 2026 to February 2027, the programme integrates 32 coach-led training sessions and educational workshops for 150 highly vulnerable children and young adults. First-team players will also provide direct mentorship, and the club will guarantee long-term stadium access and matchday experiences for the participants to ensure an enduring legacy.

In addition to the new approvals, the Board received comprehensive briefings on the AFC’s administrative matters, structural programme audits, and the performance metrics of both past and active social responsibility campaigns. All decisions will need to be ratified by the AFC Executive Committee before taking effect.

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AFC Dream Asia Foundation Board of Trustees approves milestone social responsibility programmes

Nagoya, Japan :The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Dream Asia Foundation’s Board of Trustees (BoT) reaffirmed its dedication to expanding the Confederation’s social development efforts after approving four landmark initiatives during its fifth meeting today in Nagoya, Japan.

Under the guidance of Chairperson HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal, the programmes will channel football infrastructure and funding directly into vulnerable communities. Two projects utilise the mandatory five per cent (5%) social responsibility allocation from the AFC Champions League Elite™ and AFC Champions League Two™ prize funds earned by clubs in Japan and the United Arab Emirates, while the other two address urgent regional disaster recovery in Myanmar and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Leading the disaster recovery front is the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s “Rebuild, Better, Stronger” Programme. Scheduled for completion in February 2027, this comprehensive community recovery initiative will restore the Northern Mariana Islands Soccer Training Center, which sustained critical damage from the Category 5 Super Typhoon Sinlaku on April 14, 2026. The Foundation’s funding will replace essential equipment, restore facilities with resilient infrastructure, and re-engage heavily impacted youth through safe football activities. The BoT also approved another vital infrastructural initiative via the Myanmar Football Federation’s Mandalay Football Academy Recovery Programme. Launched as a direct response to the devastating earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025, which left the academy building structurally unsafe, this project is scheduled for completion in November 2027. The recovery initiative will rebuild a modern, resilient centre of excellence to safely house and train 140 football students aged 12–17, while fully restoring the talent pathway for local coaches, referees, and football clubs. Further expanding the Foundation’s reach into civic development, Kawasaki Frontale will utilise their mandatory five percent (5%) prize money allocation as runners-up of the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25™ to launch the “Blue Dream” Programme. This 12-month initiative directly addresses the “play crisis” in Kawasaki City, where 90% of local parks ban ball games. The club’s three-pillar strategy, spanning Safeguarding, Education, and Social Inclusion, features a food drive for 25,000 participants, the “Blue Santa” hospital initiative, therapy dogs for 2,000 children, inclusive football clinics for 150,000 people, and a Resilience Project teaching 500 children lessons from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

In a similar commitment to community impact through club success, AFC Champions League Two 2024/25™ champions Sharjah Football Club will deploy their prize money to fund the “Football for Hope” Programme. To be delivered in partnership with The Big Heart Foundation from November 2026 to February 2027, the programme integrates 32 coach-led training sessions and educational workshops for 150 highly vulnerable children and young adults. First-team players will also provide direct mentorship, and the club will guarantee long-term stadium access and matchday experiences for the participants to ensure an enduring legacy.

In addition to the new approvals, the Board received comprehensive briefings on the AFC’s administrative matters, structural programme audits, and the performance metrics of both past and active social responsibility campaigns. All decisions will need to be ratified by the AFC Executive Committee before taking effect.

Publications
”More>>”
Videos
”More>>”

Jeonbuk State, in collaboration with the Jeonbuk State Office of Education and Jeonbuk Physicl Education Middle & High School, is continuing international exchange and friendship through sports by delivering sports equipment donated by students to youth in three African nations. On the 5th, the State and the Office of Education held a send-off ceremony at Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School for the project titled “Re; Play Together, Jeonbuk Sports Friendship Gifts,” shipping the items to Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Namibia. The theme, ‘Re; Play Together,’ signifies resuming games (Re; Play) that had been halted due to a shortage of soccer balls and sports gear, this time together with Jeonbuk.

This initiative goes beyond mere material support; it aims to practice solidarity and friendship across borders through sports and to expand the foundation for exchange among future generations. In particular, sharing equipment that students actually used spreads the value of sharing while extending Jeonbuk’s international sports diplomacy into schools and the local community. The project originated from visits last year by officials from Zimbabwe and Namibia, with whom Jeonbuk has maintained international sports exchanges. During their visit to Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School, they requested support for sports equipment. Students readily agreed to contribute, leading to a broader international exchange program supported by the State, the Office of Education, and the school. The donated items total 616 pieces across 12 sports, including soccer, taekwondo, shooting, archery, swimming, etc. —comprising both gear previously used by students and new items collected for this project. The equipment will be delivered to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and National Olympic Committees of each country via Zimbabwean diplomatic missions and international shipping. It will then be distributed to young athletes and youth active in organizations such as the Kirsty Coventry Academy in Zimbabwe, the Waitaka Taekwondo Club in Kenya, and the MTC Hopsol Youth Soccer League in Namibia.

Kim Jong-phil, Director General of Jeonbuk State’s 2036 Summer Olympics Bid Department, stated: “I hope the precious sports items that nurtured the dreams of our Jeonbuk students will serve as a new source of hope for African youth. Moving forward, we will continue to promote international exchange through sports, guided by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) core values of inclusion and solidarity.” Im Young-gun, Director of Arts, Physical Ed & Health Division at the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, said, “It was a meaningful opportunity for our students to put into practice the spirit of sportsmanship through sharing and caring while developing a global perspective. We hope that the students’ small but heartfelt gesture will be warmly received by young people in Africa.”

Meanwhile, Jeonbuk State has been steadily expanding its international sports network by dispatching a Taekwondo demonstration team to the World Taekwondo U-21 Championship in Kenya, participating in the World Union of Olympic Cities General Assembly, and broadening sports exchanges with African nations. Starting with the “Sports Friendship Gift” pilot project, Jeonbuk State plans to consider expanding the countries and sports covered by the initiative, while also promoting the hosting of international sporting events and exchange programs inviting young athletes from overseas, with the goal of developing Jeonbuk into a specialized international sports city.

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