United in dreams

Old Trafford, given the nickname the Theatre o...
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Like politics, football can unite or divide a community with people's passions for their love of the beautiful game. But former 60s Manchester United and England veteran Sir Bobby Charlton has joined a Football4Peace program pioneered and supported by several institutions, training budding Israeli youngsters from all sections of the community - guided by top Man U coaches from the Manchester United Foundation. It's now in its ninth year, and the F4P has brought the Israeli communities together through the medium of football - united in their dreams to become the next top soccer ace. Established in 2001, with just one camp for 60 children in one community, the project has grown significantly. More than 750 Jewish and Arab youngsters aged 10-14 years old, will participate in 11 football and multi-activity camps across Israel. Over 80 university student sports coaches from the University of Brighton and the German Sports University, Cologne, and Jewish and Arab sport professionals from Israel are set to coach the youngsters during the project, which culminates with a final football festival feast in Bet Shean.
Said Sir Bobby:  "Using football to bring different people together is an approach that we endorse as part of our community outreach at Manchester United. I am delighted to be extending this philosophy to Israel. It is a privilege to be working with Arab and Jewish youngsters and to be a part of the Football 4 Peace project."
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