Qatar Sends Three UNRWA students to South Africa World Cup — UNRWA news item

Qatar Sends Three Children to South Africa World Cup

16 May 2010
Damascus

Students Hani Huwaileh from Jerusalem school in Yarmouk and Mahmoud Ali Meri from al-Rameh school in Jaramana camp will be heading to the World Cup in South Africa this summer, thanks to a special project funded by the Qatar 2022 World Cup Bidding Committee.

At 4pm on Saturday 15 May, 30 children aged 13 and 14 competed at the Sports Compound in Yarmouk Camp to see who would be chosen to attend the World Cup.

"UNRWA is proud to be associated with this initiative," said Roger Hearn, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Syria. "We view any proposal which promotes physical activity and teamwork as something worth pursuing."

The event was attended by Mr Ali Mustafa, Director-General of the General Authority for Palestinian Arab Refugees and representatives from the Syrian and Palestinian Sport Unions and the Qatar 2022 Bidding Committee. It is organised in cooperation with UNRWA.

Hani and Mahmoud were chosen according to a set of specified criteria, including their sporting abilities, high school performance and leadership skills. A girl will be selected later to join the two boys on this trip of a life time.

UNRWA provides education, healthcare, relief and social services, and micro-credit services to over 460,000 Palestine refugees in Syria.

Not an official record

For further information please contact:

Hala Mukhles
Public Information Officer
UNRWA Damascus Syria
Tel: +963 (0) 0116133035 ext.314
Mob: +963 (0) 0940 888103