(26 April 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: With the Fifa World Cup scheduled to kick off next week, football's governing body Fifa and Unicef have kicked off their joint campaign for the 2006 Fifa World Cup Germany under the banner Unite For Children, Unite For Peace.

The campaign spotlights the potential of football to promote values of peace and tolerance at international and national levels as well as locally, within communities and between individuals. The two parties are joining forces to communicate the importance of sport as a platform for creating self-esteem, self-confidence and trust while at the same time reinforcing an environment where interaction is possible without violence, coercion or exploitation.

Fifa president Joseph S. Blatter said: "Fifa selected Unicef to be the official goodwill cause of the 2006 FifaWorld Cup based on the longstanding alliance of our two organisations and our common goals of fighting for the rights of children. Fifa is pleased to be working with Unicef to carry the message that sport - and particularly football - is a peace-building exercise and the core of childhood, and one that can contribute to making the world a better place".

Unicef executive director Ann M. Veneman "The Fifa World Cup is not only a great sporting event, but a powerful opportunity to share messages about the profound and positive difference sport can make in the lives of children".

The campaign several communications components.

- A star-studded public service announcement (PSA)
- A dedicated website (www.unicef.org/football)
- Video profiles of children around the world
- A manual for football coaches called 'Coaching Boys into Men'

The PSA - produced by MTV International - features UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham and 14 other top players. The PSA will be shown before each of the 64 matches of the tournament.

The 15-player 'Team Unicef' squad includes Beckham, Thierry Henry, Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica) and Dwight Yorke (Trinidad and Tobago).

The dedicated campaign website spotlights these top 'Team Unicef' players as well as video stories of 11 children whose lives have been positively impacted by football, overcoming various situations of violence and conflict.