FRF Partner in ARC Camps for Young Romanians Abroad

FRF Partner in ARC Camps for Young Romanians Abroad

In July and August, the FRF is partnering with the Department for Romanians Abroad (DRP), the Ministry of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities and the Ministry of Sport in organizing six camps dedicated to young Romanians living abroad.

The camps take place in Neamt, Bistrita-Nasaud, Tulcea, Botosani, Hunedoara and Gorj counties. Through the ARC Camps, participants will take part in a series of activities to rediscover Romania, practice their communication skills in Romanian and enrich their knowledge of Romanian culture and civilisation.

Young people spend a week in different counties of the country, where they have the opportunity to visit monuments, museums, participate in excursions and workshops of Romanian language, drawing, history or geography of Romania, to familiarize themselves with the specifics and history of the country.

In the first weeks, more than 120 young people (ethnic Romanians or with Romanian citizenship) from Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Canada participated in the camp that took place in Agafton, in Botosani. Here, they had the opportunity to play football alongside four juniors from FC Botoșani’s academy and the club’s U15 and U16 coach, Mirel Dulgheru.

About 150 other young people took part in the activities in the Oglinzi Leisure Centre, Neamt county, where besides participants from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, there were also children from Austria. They had the opportunity to participate in a mini football tournament and were awarded by the FRF.

Project activities were also held in Căprioara, Hunedoara county, with the participation of about 30 young people. The action was organised with the support of the Hunedoara County Football Association.

The 50 Romanian children of all ages from Moldova and Ukraine who were in camp at the Sângeorz-Băi Leisure Centre had a surprise on the morning of Thursday 10 August. They were joined by the former international with 34 caps and 14 goals for Romania, winner of the European Champions Cup, Gabi Balint, born in Sângeorz-Băi.

He shared his experience with the youngsters and encouraged them at a football match, at the place where the former footballer also played as a child.

“This is the very place I played football when I was a kid, I went to secondary school here. I remember that at Christmas, on my birthday, I always wished for a ball. And when I got it, the first night I slept with it in my bed. Sport is very important for your health, so I encourage you to do sport, to be active.”

Gabi Balint, Romanian Football Manager and Former Football Player

At the end, all participants received a souvenir from the Romanian Football Federation.

Such camps will continue to take place until the end of August in Tulcea and Gorj counties, and Miodrag Belodedici is among the guests who will participate.