Cross Cultures and the Moldovan Football Federation have agreed on a new collaboration implementing the Open Fun Football Schools + School Sport Police project in Moldova from 2021-2023 with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
The primary objective of the project is to contribute to the promotion of inter and intra-community relations and bottom-up initiatives of civil society, to facilitate peaceful coexistence, social inclusion, gender equality, child protection, good governance, democratic values,
This will be developed and implemented through the Open Fun Football Schools, where boys and girls aged 6-12 participate in the pedagogical activities of Fun Football as an effective means to establish friendships, as well as to promote democratic processes, peace, stability, social cohesion, and sports collaboration, coordinated by young volunteer leaders and coaches.
The School + Sport + Police (SSP) initiative is an add-on to the Open Fun Football School programme. It builds on the basic perception that efficient crime prevention and child protection measures are not a matter for the police alone. The earlier risk behaviour is spotted and addressed, the better the chances are to prevent the situation from taking a wrong turn. In order to do this, we believe that a cross-sectorial network is needed. Such a network include cooperation between schools, police, social services, and sports clubs – those who are in daily contact with children, youth, and their families.
Since 2006, Cross Cultures have operated in Moldova where over 85,000 children and 2,300 young volunteer coaches and leaders from all regions have participated in the activities. Since 2009, Cross Cultures Moldova have been supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), represented by the Swedish Embassy in Chisinau.
