FOOTBALL for Friendship (F4F) Fiji representatives Elizabeth Laqere and Hayyaan Khan left our shores for Russia last week.
Both twelve -year-old promising football players, Laqere, a Year Eight student of Saraswati Primary Manoca School and aspiring journalist Hayyaan Khan of Ba will join children from 211 countries to attend the sixth annual F4F program.
Laqere said she was looking forward to represent Fiji at the 2018 FIFA World Cup as part of the football for friendship program.
“My dream is to play for Fiji and hopefully, win a scholarship where I can study and play football,” Laqere said.
“My interest started while accompanying my grandmother to watch my uncles Iosefo Verevou and Epeli Saukuru play.”
Laqere’s grandmother Anaseini Wati, who will be accompanying her, said she was really excited to join her for the trip
“I’m really happy for my granddaughter and I want to thank God for the opportunity she got to represent Fiji at the 2018 World Cup in Russia,” Wati said.
“I am grateful that I will be going abroad with her and getting the opportunity to meet the professional footballers and we are looking forward to this tour.
“And I believe it is a gift from God to my family as most of my children have a keen interest in football like her.”
Saraswati Primary Manoca School teacher Seriama Waqalevu said it was a proud moment for the school.
“We are really proud of her and it is a great achievement for Saraswati Primary Manoca School and we are so happy to have one of our students to represent the country at the 2018 World Cup in Russia,” Waqalevu said.
Khan on the other hand will accompanied by his father Mobin Khan to the Friendship for Football program will take place in Moscow, Russia on June 8-15 ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The aim of the program is to promote essential values embodied by football with the younger generation such as respect for other cultures and nationalities as well as equality.
Khan said: “I am good at writing and am also a keen footballer who’s eager to learn more. While I’m proud to represent Fiji as a journalist at F4F, I would also like to represent my country at the 2028 FIFA World Cup.
“Football can help us to live happily together as part of a multi-racial country.”
A highlight of the program sees young people from all over the world attending the first game of the FIFA World Cup 2018 between Russia and Saudi Arabia. They’ll also be part of the official opening ceremony at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
A highlight of the program sees Laqere and Khan along with young people from all over the world attending the first game of the FIFA World Cup 2018 between Russia and Saudi Arabia. They will also be part of the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony in Moscow.
The F4F program promotes essential values embodied by football with the younger generation such as respect for other cultures and nationalities as well as equality.
