Amman, Oct. 7 (Petra) – In a new strategic partnership, the Association Football Development Programme (AFDP Global) and the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) have launched the WorldCoaches–Shiraka program, which uses football as a tool for social development, youth empowerment, and community cohesion.

The launch ceremony, held under the patronage of HRH Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Chairman and Founder of the AFDP Global, was attended by Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Azmi Mahafzah, Dutch Ambassador to Jordan Stella Kloth, Spanish Ambassador Miguel de Lucas, Mexican Ambassador Jacob Prado Gonz?lez, KNVB Secretary-General Gijs de Jong, Jordanian Ministry of Education Secretary-General for Educational Affairs Nawaf Ajarmeh, West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Secretary-General Khalil Al-Salem, and AFDP Global Executive Director Farah Badarneh.

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the program seeks to harness the power of football to enhance young people’s technical, leadership, and life skills, as well as their employability in Jordan, with a strong focus on empowering girls and fostering social cohesion between refugees and host communities.

Through this collaboration, more than 150 young male and female coaches will receive training, expanding their roles to include community mentorship and leadership development. The program will also deliver combined football and life-skills sessions for over 2,500 children, alongside support for local initiatives and community events.

Prince Ali bin Al Hussein described the partnership as a milestone, saying, "At the AFDP Global, we are dedicated to empowering youth, building safe spaces, and using football to inspire, educate, and unite communities for a positive and lasting change that starts on the pitch and extends far beyond it."

He added, "We extend our gratitude to all partners for their support and commitment to community development."

KNVB Secretary-General Gijs de Jong expressed his pride in the partnership, stating, "We are committing to invest in youth, to strengthen communities, and to use football as a bridge between cultures. We thank Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, the Jordanian Ministry of Education, the AFDP Global, and the Jordan Football Association for their fruitful collaboration, as well as the Dutch Embassy in Jordan for supporting this project and the Shiraka program, which has already trained 222 coaches in Jordan."

On the sidelines of the launch, the AFDP Global and the Jordanian Ministry of Education signed an agreement to begin constructing two football pitches in Amman and Zarqa as the program’s first projects.

Minister of Education and Higher Education Azmi Mahafzah praised the agreement for strengthening the role of sports in the education sector, noting that the partnership will help build new bridges between sports and education while enhancing opportunities for youth and girls to use sports as a tool for learning and personal growth.

Under the agreement, signed by Nawaf Ajarmeh and AFDP Global Executive Director Farah Badarneh, the new pitches will serve as safe spaces and ideal environments for children and communities to engage in technical and educational activities across Jordan.

Launched in 2012 under the name "Asian Football Development Project" by Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, AFDP Global is a pioneering platform that aims to use football as a driver for social progress and community development.

//Petra// AF

07/10/2025 21:51:02