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STORY: SOMALIA / FIFA FOOTBALL FESTIVAL TRT: 3:04 SOURCE: AU/UN IST RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free

for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is not to be sold on and is restricted for other purposes. All enquiries to news@auunist.org CREDIT REQUIRED: AU/UN IST LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALIA/NATS DATELINE: 19 AUGUST 2013, MOGADISHU SHOTLIST:
1. Wide shot, young Somali boys singing the National Anthem 2. Med shot, football boots 3. Close up, football boots with Chelsea logo 4. Wide shot, Banadiir football stadium with kids ready to play 5. Med shot, referee blowing a whistle to start the games 6. Wide shot, young boys playing animated games 7. Wide shot, young boys kicking the ball to each other 8. Med shot, boy kicking the ball 9. Med shot kids playing 10. Close up, artificial turf as kids play 11. SOUNDBITE (Somalia) Abdihakim Abdikadir Noor, young Footballer: I support Manchester United. I support them because they play very good football. My favorite player is Van Persie. 12. Wide shot, boy dribbling through cones 13. Med shot, boy waiting his turn in line 14. Close up, kid dribbling through cones 15. Med shot, tracking with young boy dribbling 16. Wide shot, kids playing as FIFA trainer Ulric Mathiot watches 17. Close up, FIFA trainer, Ulric Mathiot watching the plays 18. Med shot, FIFA trainer, Ulric Mathiot walking away 19. SOUNDBITE (English), Ulric Mathiot, FIFA trainer Now we hope that the Somali football Federation, they can have a long time vision or long time programme. Where they can bring this sort of activity all around the country in fact in as much regions as possible. So touching as much kids as possible from six to twelve years old. 20. Wide shot, you kids and their coach walking on the pitch 21. Med shot, kids playing around with the ball 22. SOUNDBITE (English), Awil Ismail, Technical Director of the Somalia Football Federation: Somali youth are good in technique but the problem that we have since we have been at war for a long time. There has been a gap; in my point of view I hope that the coming years we will be better. Because we are now have some stability and we have grass course that FIFA has helped us. So in the future I hope that we will be one of the best in east Africa.

23. Wide shot, silhouette of kids going squat jumps 24. Med shot, silhouette of kids playing with ball 25. Wide shot, silhouette of kids playing STORY: Its game-time and kids from various schools across Somalias capital Mogadishu have come out to play. Kids between the ages of 6 and 12 are being treated to an afternoon of fun and games at a football festival organized by FIFA in conjunction with the Somali Football Federation. The Football camp is the finale of a 5-day grass-roots training course by FIFA for local coaches in the Horn of Africa nation. FIFA resumed its activities in Somalia a week ago after being absent for over 25 years. The international football governing body was forced to stop all activities in Somalia due to the insecurity brought about after the toppling over of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 and the civil war that followed. The last FIFA event in the country was in 1986, although other FIFA courses for the Somali football federation were done outside its boarders, in neighboring Djibouti. The Islamist extremist group al Shabaab had put a ban on sporting activities including playing football and the watching of foreign leagues, like the Premier league. Those caught violating their rule were publicly punished and sometimes killed, but this did not kill the spirit of the game. The Somali National Army kicked the Al Shabaab militants out of Mogadishu and other towns and cities, with support from the African Union Peacekeeping Force. This has not only brought relative peace and stability to most parts of the country, it has also brought the sport back to life. The game is now played on most every street corner in the city. The Somali coaches were taught basic skills in developing fun football animated games for children, with the hope of providing an avenue for kids in Somalia to cultivate a love for the game. At the newly renovated Banadiir stadium, over 300 kids came out to showoff their skills and tell us of the teams they support. I support Manchester United. Says Abdihakim Abdikadir Noor, a young player. I support them because they play very good football. My favorite player is Van Persie. FIFA instructor Ulric Mathiot from the Seychelles agreed to come to Somalia to conduct the course and is confident that the game has a lot potential in the country. Now we hope that the Somalian football Federation, they can have a long time vision or long time programme. Says Ulric Mathiot . Where they can bring this sort of activity all around the country in fact in as much regions as possible. So touching as much kids as possible from six to twelve years old. Somalias national team the Ocean Stars are currently ranked 200 in the world, a number they hope the can soon bring down as they score more goals. Awil Ismail is the technical director of the Somalia Football Federation and he is very optimistic.

Somali youth are good in technique but the problem that we have since we have been at war for a long time. There has been a gap; in my point of view I hope that the coming years we will be better. Because we are now have some stability and we have grass course that FIFA has helped us. So in the future I hope that we will be one of the best in east Africa. Says Awil Ismail. With the determination showed here by the countrys football federation and the love for the game by the young players, Somalia is on the winning path and soon these stars will be flying their countries flag in regional and international tournaments. END.

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