The Ukrainian Shakhtar Social Foundation received a silver UEFA Grassroots Awards

UEFA's official website saidthat the Ukrainian non-profit foundation Shakhtar Social Foundation won the UEFA Grassroots Awards. The honorable second place in the nomination "Best Professional Club" was taken by the fund's project called "Come on, play!".

Photo by shakhtar.com

Each year, UEFA awards prizes to people, projects and venues that ensure that everyone, regardless of age, ability, gender or background, can play football in a safe environment. This is the key goal of the UEFA grassroots football program.

Photo by shakhtar.com

Shakhtar Social Foundation is a non-profit fund established by FC Shakhtar in 2018 for the implementation of social and charitable projects of the club, as well as for the development of children's football in Ukraine. Currently, the fund, with the support of its general partner, the energy company DTEK, is implementing the "Come on, play!" Project. Its goal is development through sports, and in particular football. 

Photo by shakhtar.com

The project allows children with disabilities, boys and girls aged seven to 16, to participate in free football sessions in six cities of Ukraine. Participants include young people with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and hearing impairment.

Photo by shakhtar.com

Currently, within the framework of the project, local tournaments "Come on, play!" Were held in eight cities on the demarcation line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. That is, the project performs not only sports and educational, but also socially inclusive function, returning children to normal life with the help of football.

Note that the gold award of the UEFA Grassroots Awards in the nomination "Best Professional Club" went to the German project SV Werder Bremen, and the bronze - the Scottish Dundee United Community Trust.

Photo by shakhtar.com

It will be recalled that the annual UEFA Grassroots Awards was launched in 2010, but the category "Best Professional Club" debuted only last year. Thus, the Ukrainian Shakhtar Social Foundation became its nominee in the second year of the award's existence.