The OBHIZATRIK Foundation, in partnership with the FIFA Foundation, officially launched the second year of the “Playing for Peace: FIFA Foundation Community Programme 2025–26” through an inauguration ceremony and friendly football match held on Wednesday at the Gulshan Youth Club, Football Turf.

Assistant Private Secretary-2 (APS-2) to Prime Minister Abdur Rahman Sunny
spoke as the chief guest in the inauguration ceremony while President of OBHIZATRIK Foundation Ahmed Imtiaz Jami delivered welcome speech. 

As the first Bangladeshi organization selected as an official partner of the FIFA Foundation Community Programme, OBHIZATRIK Foundation is implementing this global initiative to harness the power of football for youth development, social inclusion, leadership, and peacebuilding.

Since its introduction in Bangladesh in 2025, the programme has been providing regular football training and holistic development opportunities for approximately 1,000 underprivileged children and adolescents (600 boys and 400 girls) aged 10–18 from Mirpur, Dhaka, along with 50 children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

More than a football programme, Playing for Peace uses sport as a platform to build confidence, teamwork, leadership, empathy, and life skills while promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence among children and young people.

During its first year (April 2025–March 2026), the programme successfully delivered 48 football training sessions, 6 quarterly football tournaments, and 13 specialized football sessions for children with intellectual disabilities, culminating in an inclusive friendly tournament.

Participants also benefited from 18 life skills sessions, 18 educational workshops and digital classroom sessions, 12 psychosocial counselling sessions reaching 104 children, 12 social and recreational activities, 12 football match screenings, and 4 friendly matches, creating safe spaces for learning, inclusion, and personal development.

Building on these achievements, the programme’s second year will further expand its impact through 56 football training sessions, 4 quarterly tournaments, 22 specialized football sessions for children with intellectual disabilities, 24 life skills sessions, 24 educational workshops, 32 digital classroom sessions, 12 psychosocial counselling sessions, and 12 community-based social and recreational activities, including friendly football matches, football screenings, indoor games, and child-led community campaigns.

The partnership between the FIFA Foundation and OBHIZATRIK Foundation reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong through sport. By combining football with education, life skills, and psychosocial support, the programme will continue to strengthen social cohesion and foster more inclusive and peaceful communities.

President of OBHIZATRIK Foundation Imtiaz Jami said the launch of Bangladesh's first FIFA Foundation Community Programme through our foundation marks a significant milestone in using sport as a tool for youth development and social inclusion.

"We are proud to launch the Programme in Bangladesh for the first time through OBHIZATRIK Foundation," he said.

Highlighting the foundation's work, Jami said OBHIZATRIK Foundation has been working in Bangladesh for the past 16 years in the areas of education, healthcare, livelihoods, women's empowerment and youth development. The organisation currently operates in 32 districts and collaborates with several international organisations and foundations on various development programmes.

Referring to the government's initiatives to promote sports, including youth-focused programmes and the Prime Minister's Gold Cup football tournament, he said the partnership between OBHIZATRIK Foundation and the FIFA Foundation would contribute to achieving Bangladesh's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting youth empowerment, inclusion and community development through sport.

Calling on people to invest in the future of underprivileged children, Abdur Rahman Sunny urged individuals with the financial means to sponsor at least one child through the Obhizatrik Foundation, saying such support can help build a healthier, better-educated and more responsible generation.

He said Tarique Rahman Sir strongly believes that alongside education, sports play a vital role in the physical and mental development of disadvantaged children and adolescents, contributing to the creation of a healthy and prosperous nation.

"The Obhizatrik Foundation has been working to achieve this vision since 2010," he said.For the first time, a Bangladeshi non-profit organisation has become a partner in the FIFA Foundation Community Programme.," he said.

He said a monthly contribution of Tk 1,500 enables a child to receive quality education, learning materials, school uniforms, shoes, healthcare and nutritional support.

Urging wider public participation, hw said many people have the capacity to sponsor at least one child.

He added that supporting a child's education and wellbeing is an investment in the country's future, stressing that even a small contribution can transform a child's life and help build a more educated, healthy and compassionate society.

Following the match, the champion team received the winners’ trophy, while every participating player was awarded a medal by the OBHIZATRIK Foundation and the FIFA Foundation in recognition of their dedication and participation.

Fahad Karim, Vice President of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and Dr. Wahiduzzaman (Tamal), President of Gulshan Youth Club Limited were also present.