Joint press conference dedicated to OFFS-2012 launch in Ukraine

Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports held a joint press conference dedicated to cooperation in the field of implementation of the international social project was held on September 14th 2012 in the House of Football of Ukraine.
In spring 2012 the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine together with FFU focused on the OFFS idea as the perfect tool of crime and conflicts prevention among children. Leading specialists from the Ministry of Internal Affairs took part in the International conference which was held in Georgia on 7th-10th of September 2012. Afterwards local policemen from the AR Crimea, Vinnitsa Region, Odessa and Chernovtsy Regions participated in seminars on project implementation in Ukraine which took place on May 25th-28th, 28th-31st and May 31st to June 3rd 2012 in the AR Crimea. Next step of the cooperation includes the participation of these specialists’ in the OFFS’s that is to be conducted in September – October 2012. 
OFFS in Ukraine were held in accordance with following schedule:
– September 10th-14th, 17th-21st and 24th-28th in 12 venues in Crimea
– September 13th-17th in Rubizhne city of the Lugansk Region
– September 14th and 17th-20th in Kyiv city
– September 16th-20th in ?. ???????;
– September 24th-28th in the cities of Lviv, Yampil of the Vinnitsa Region and Novoselitsa of the Chernovtsy Region
– October 1st-5th in Kharkiv city
– October 17th-21st in Tatarbunary city of the Odessa Region
FFU representatives Anatoliy Kon’kov (FFU President), Anatoliy Popov and Sergiy Storozhenko (First Vice-presidents), Yevgeniy Stolitenko (Project National Coordinator) and members of the UEFA Grassroots Panel took part in the press conference. Besides representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, Anders Levinsen (CCPA Director), Mirja Peterson (SIDA Director in Ukraine), Counselor of the Ambassador of Sweden in Ukraine and others participated in the press conference.
Leading teachers of physical training and coaches from youth football clubs in Kyiv city, as well as project volunteers were in the hall. Anatoliy Kon’kov addresses just to them and noticed that the process of healthy life-style promotion among children highly depended on teachers and trainers as well as a healthy future establishing in Ukraine. Moreover the President of FFU assured event guests that he would support social projects and promote school football development in Ukraine, as school football is one of the main priorities of a new FFU management. At the end of the speech, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched specially designed mascot of a policeman-friend for children – Slavko the Brave.
Anders Levinsen drew attention to the importance of “Open Fun Football Schools” project by mentioning that children were that centre around which it was necessary to consolidate.
Just after the press conference termination, Kyiv “Open Fun Football Schools” festival was opened at the Bannokiv’s stadium. Over 200 kids participated in the OFFS with 2 stations in the rotation held by policemen. At one station, Slavko the Brave talked with children and on the other one kids watched a special cartoon, made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and discussed it with policemen. Also special intellectual games were used which enabled kids just to think over consequences of dangerous behavior and different negative influences of “streets”, such as alcohol, drugs, thefts etc.