Myanmar female player sent to France during 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

29 June 2019
Myanmar female player sent to France during 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Female football player Thaint Myat Noe from Hpa-an University Thaint Myat Noe. Photo: Facebook

Today female football player Thaint Myat Noe from Hpa-an University leaves for Lyon, France, to join the Streetfootballworld Festival 19 on 2 July.

Thaint Myat Noe is a youth leader of a ‘Football for Good’ sport for social change program called Football United, a joint initiative of Myanmar Red Cross Society and Australia’s University of New South Wales, operating since 2013.

Football for Good is a global phenomenon, where organizations harness the positive power of football to address social issues across the globe in what is classified as a sport for social change approach.

The lead organization, Streetfootballworld, works with more than 130 organizations across the globe to foster positive social change.

Streetfootballworld is hosting Festival19, an official parallel event of 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, where over 48 organizations will be represented. In addition to Thaint Myat Noe, five members from Hpa-an, Pathein, Dagon and East Yangon Universities will represent Myanmar in the festival.

The Embassy of France in Myanmar is providing support to the delegation’s trip to Festival 19 in Lyon which is a ground-breaking step in the history of Football for Good: for the first time celebration of the power of Football for Good is being honored in the context of a FIFA Women’s World Cup. This sends a powerful message to the world that women have equal rights in society and in football. The festival will focus on the topics of women’s empowerment, women’s rights and gender equality. The Myanmar team will join the festival with other 39 delegations representing the leading Development through Football organizations from around the world. The 10-day festival program features a Youth Forum for young female leaders, a public summit and a football3 tournament from June 29th to July 8th in Lyon, France, on the campus of Sport dans la Ville.

In addition to supporting the participation to Festival 19, the Embassy of France in Myanmar is also providing support for Football United’s youth and community development program in Keng Tong, a collaborative program of Myanmar Red Cross Society, Keng Tong University and Football United.

Dr Bunde-Birouste, founder of Football United at University of New South Wales said: “Football United is an initiative of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), established in 2006 with aim to provide leadership and management opportunities for young people using social power of football. Football United is a leading sport for social change program in Australia and abroad and a rapidly growing program in Myanmar, with support from the Myanmar Red Cross, communities and several significant donors. My own love of football was born in France and I am extremely pleased to have the significant support from the Embassy of France in Myanmar for the festival 19 and Keng Tong program.”

Mr. Christian Lechervy, Ambassador of France to Myanmar, said “Against the backdrop of the 8th edition of the Women’s World Cup which is being held in France until July 7th, the Embassy of France in Myanmar is glad to support a project implemented by such motivated and committed people. The results and impacts of the activities conducted by Football United, as we can already observe them in Hpa-An, are remarkable and inspiring. “Vivre ensemble”, living together in harmony and peace, is a key concept in France and sport is an ideal way to promote social cohesion and women’s empowerment. France is committed to promoting gender equality and to ensuring that fundamental rights of women are recognized and respected. In Myanmar, this translates into our support to projects of this kind and to initiatives that contribute to positive change.