The country’s three AFC Youth Social Responsibility ambassadors conducted their first-ever webinar for youth players entitled “#OnlyTogether will we play again” last 5 April 2021.
The online webinar was held inline with the celebration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. A total of 15 participants from the various Philippine Youth National Team Pool, attended the webinar.
AFC ambassadors Cian Galsim, Rae Tolentino, and Mikaela Villacin, organized the webinar together with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). Last year, the three youth players were nominated by PFF to attend the Aurora eGoal Program, which was a youth empowerment and social responsibility program, organized by the AFC Dream Asia Foundation and the Aurora for Training and Development.
After their completion of the program, Galsim, Tolentino, and Villacin were named as AFC Social Responsibility Ambassadors by the AFC. As youth ambassadors, they are tasked to promote social responsibility among their peers and within their own communities by providing innovative and educational opportunities through football.
Among the topics discussed during the webinar was the Sustainable Development Goals and how sports, particularly football, has the power to initiate, build, and strengthen networks and partnerships including bringing together governments, NGOs, sport organizations, and the private sector on a local, national, regional, and international level.
The three ambassadors hailed the success of the webinar and how the Sustainable Development Goals can make an impact in their respective communities.
“Our goal was to share information about the different Sustainable Development Goals and to let the participants know how football can contribute to those SDGs,” said Galsim. “Our current generation is already aware of the problems in our society, and through the help of sports some problems may be solved.”
“We wanted to make sure that our teammates learn something and hopefully apply it in their lives,” said Tolentino. “With the right mentors and the correct methods, anyone can learn about the SDGs and make a difference in the community.”
“It was a nice feeling to be able to reach out to our friends and teammates and know that they share the same goals and discuss how we, as youth players, can contribute to these goals,” said Villacin. “We hope we continue to work together to provide a better future for everyone.”
PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr. and general secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes congratulated the youth ambassadors on the success of the webinar.
“We congratulate the three AFC Youth Social Responsibility Ambassadors on their webinar for youth players,” said Araneta. “The youth have an instrumental role in our society and the learnings from this webinar will help them grow to become responsible persons.”
“We thank our three ambassadors for their willingness in providing to their fellow youth players what needs to be done in exhibiting positive change,” said Gastanes. “What they had presented in the webinar shows how important the role of the youth in developing their respective communities.”
For more information on the Aurora eGoal Programme, please visit https://aurora.org.jo/egoal/.