POSTED: Wednesday August 5th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PACIFIC LEADERS WITNESS GROUND-BREAKING OFC AGREEMENT

Signing of AU$4 million partnership agreement between Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), the Government of Australia and Football Federation Australia (FFA).

Football
has taken centre stage at the 40th Pacific Island Leaders Forum (PIF)
in Cairns this afternoon with the signing of an AU$4 million
partnership agreement between Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), the
Government of Australia and Football Federation Australia (FFA).

The landmark agreement, which aims to deliver sports-based programs
that contribute to community development in the Pacific, was signed at
the Cairns Convention Centre where 17 Heads of Government are gathered
for the annual regional meeting.

OFC President Reynald Temarii addressed the leaders and said a
special thank you to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for his
support.

“On behalf of OFC and the Oceania football family, I
would like to express my sincerest thanks to the Australian Government
for its role in this partnership,” said President Temarii.

“Together with the Australian Sports Outreach Program and FFA, we
will be able to use the development of football to improve the lives of
individuals, families and communities throughout Oceania.”

The
agreement outlines how OFC, FFA and the Government of Australia –
through its agencies the Australian Agency for International
Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – will
work together to deliver development projects throughout the Pacific
over a three-year period.

These projects will include initiatives such as OFC ‘Just Play’ – a
grassroots program that promotes physical activity (especially but not
only football) for children aged 6-13 and encourages community
involvement.  ‘Just Play’ is already well established in OFC’s 11
Member Associations but is now set to expand.

Under the new agreement, OFC and ASC will undertake the planning
and delivery of projects while FFA will provide close support including
the supply of football equipment. FFA will also coordinate the
cooperation of the parties.

The Australian Government meanwhile expects to contribute AU$4 million over a three-year period from July 2009 to June 2012.

FFA
CEO Ben Buckley, who also spoke at today’s signing, says it is the
intention of all parties to extend the agreement beyond this term.

“All of us at Football Australia are excited by this opportunity to
contribute to capacity building in Pacific Island communities and to
contribute to improved health and education outcomes through sustained
participation in sport.

“We look forward to working with Oceania Football Confederation,
through the leadership of Reynald Temarii, to achieve outstanding
results over the coming years.”

The partnership includes funding
and support for the Pacific Youth and Sport Conference (PSYC) set to
take place in Manukau, New Zealand, from 8-13 March 2010. PSYC is an
OFC initiative aimed at bringing together regional stakeholders to
discuss how sport can play a role in advancing health, fostering
community development, reducing anti-social behavior and building
strong bonds among young people in the Pacific.

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Keywords · FFA · OCF · Reynald Temarii · Prime Minister Kevin Rudd · Ben Buckley

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Name: Bonita Mersiades
Organization: FFA Football Federation Australia
Email:
Phone: +61 2 8354 5544
URL: http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/default.aspx?s=home

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