ISF is honoured to have been selected to send a Cambodian delegation to the 2018 FIFA Football for Hope Festival in Moscow this year, together with 48 other groups from around the world. The festival, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup will run from 25 June to 5 July 2018 and the young participants will have the opportunity to exchange best practices, play football, enjoy a unique intercultural experience together even attend one of the World Cup matches.

ISF has selected four players (two female and two male), one head of delegation and one young leader to represent Cambodia in Moscow. The players and coach come from severely disadvantaged slum areas of Phnom Penh and this will be the first time travelling abroad for all the young delegates have.

In order to prepare our participants for the Football for Hope Festival, ISF is providing additional English lessons, pre-departure training covering logistics, background to the festival, cultural awareness and country information as well as extra coaching and football training.

By attending this event, our young delegates will have the opportunity to travel internationally for the first time in their lives and see a country that they would never have dreamed of visiting. The opportunity to not only share and take pride in their culture, but to also learn from other delegations and interact with people from around the world will widen their perspectives, help them develop their confidence and communication skills as well as their aspirations for a better life. Through the workshops and activities, we hope that they will be inspired to continue to develop their leadership skills and work to share what they learn at the Football for Hope Festival with their peers and communities when they return to Cambodia.