BOP represented by its Chairman and General Manager Mr Hashim Al-Shawa and Head of the Palestinian Football Federation Major General Jibril Rjoub signed an MoU to support Blatter Football Academy for Children. The signing ceremony that took place on Monday 12 May 2014 at Blatter Football Academy in Al-Bireh city was attended by senior officials of sports union, managers of BOP areas and departments, representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations, the media and BOP officials.
Pursuant to the agreement, BOP will provide financial support to the Academy’s activities. The Blatter Football Academy for Children is subsidiary to the Palestinian Football Federation. A qualified team from the Federation administers the Academy, and capable and talented children will be selected for training in the Academy and be prepared to represent Palestine in international arenas and forums.
For his part, Al-Shawa said BOP sponsorship of Blatter Football Academy is a very important act that will contribute to developing the sport sector in Palestine. He regarded the agreement, which provides for sponsoring children football championship, will set the ground for a qualitative leap in Palestinian sports. The agreement is also a new strategic investment for the future that aims to discover gifted children capable of representing Palestine in the future.
Al-Shawa added the creation of a systematic body that looks for and promotes sports talents all over Palestine is among the core concerns of BOP.
Brigadier General Rjoub valued BOP’s support to Palestinian sport during the past five years adding that such initiatives will strengthen the Palestinian people and help them achieve stability on their land. He added BOP is an instrumental partner in creating an environment suitable for Palestinian children. “Building the Palestinian character is a responsibility that we all share,” he concluded. Brigadier Rjoub thanked in particular the efforts of Mr Al-Shawa stating that only few men are conscious of their national duty. He also extolled the efforts made by Blatter Academy’s staff.
Brigadier Rjoub said sport has to be a national industry that has its own line of production and is competitive. “We Palestinians are able to excel in sport. The Palestinian individual can be creative and self-assertive,” he concluded.
Consisting of three storeys of 100 square meters, the Academy is located in Al-Bireh. It houses meeting rooms fully equipped with high-tech, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, and a physiotherapy ward. The second floor of the building is a guest house with 25 accommodation rooms.
During his last visit to Palestine last year, FIFA President Joseph Blatter, accompanied by FIFA Vice President Prince Ali ben Al-Hussein, Arab Idol Mohammad Assaf and Brigadier Rjoub, inaugurated several sport establishments and witnessed the launching of the first Palestinian sport satellite and the publication of a book on the history of 100 years of Palestinian sports.