SWAZILAND TO GET NEW FIFA COURSE
FIFA's new Com-Unity programme is now formally underway after the conclusion of a two-day workshop for its instructors in Zurich from 7-8 October 2004.
Twenty instructors from around the world, experts in marketing and media matters, attended the workshop, which dealt with all aspects of the new FIFA initiative.
After three pilot courses, held in Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago and Sri Lanka in April and May, the content of the course has now been finalised and is ready to be rolled out to FIFA's 205 member associations. FIFA Deputy General Secretary Jérôme Champagne underlined in his opening speech four main aspects of Com-Unity: to strengthen the Member Associations, to increase the dialogue with our partners, to promote football in our society and to protect and reinforce the universality of football.
Cambodia and Swaziland will be the first to receive the three-day course, between November 15-17, which strives to create a new element of co-operation between national football associations and all elements of the football family in their respective countries.
Before the end of the year, courses will also be held in Vietnam, the Solomon Islands, and Mauritania and the first course of 2005 is scheduled for Colombia in mid-January.
The Com-Unity course is a personal initiative of the FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, a long-time proponent of development as a cornerstone of all FIFA's activities.
"The aim is to bring together all those who are directly and indirectly touched by the activities of football," he told the panel of instructors on Friday. "This great game of football can make for a better world and this is one of the projects that will help achieve this aim.
"If we in football can bring hope to a world marked by horrors, then it is our duty and obligation to do so," he added.
The course seeks to create an awareness of the importance and value of football in a country. It provides a forum for free and frank discussion between all role players in the game with the objective of opening up better lines of communication and creating a common unity, hence the title Com-Unity.
First, it puts the member associations in the same room with government ministers, senior sports officials, non-government organisations, clubs, sponsors and other footballing partners to open up avenues of dialogue.
A relationship workshop marks the opening day of the course, which is open to all interested parties.
"All parties talk around the positive aspects of football. In many countries this could well be the only opportunity to have this kind of dialogue with so many stake holders in the same room," explained Mary Harvey, FIFA's Head of Development.
FIFA play the role of moderator but the discussions are dominated by the local officials exploring common ways to harness the power of football for the greater good of society.
The second day of the course is devoted to communication, opening up avenues for the member associations and local media to also better enter into dialogue.
The principles and philosophy of communication are dealt with before all interested parties are invited to participate in an interactive workshop.
The final day is devoted to FIFA instructors providing valuable insights into marketing opportunities and providing member associations with the skills to harness football into revenue-generating opportunities. The issue of brand awareness and television rights forms part of this.
"The course essentially is to help the member association to help themselves," said FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi, who also addressed the instructors. "The course is to ensure a bright future and it has a higher priority than many might realise."
The initial group of instructors are drawn from all six continental confederations.