May 8 – Football fans around the world now have a day to celebrate the world’s most popular sport every year – May 25.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution Tuesday proclaiming that date as World Football Day.
The date marks the 100th anniversary of the first international tournament in history which took place on May 25, 1924, during the summer Olympic games held in Paris
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution by consensus with Libya’s U.N. Ambassador Taher El-Sonni (pictured), who introduced it, telling the assembly: “Football, or soccer as others call it, is the number one game played and followed around the globe.”
He stressed its unifying force adding that the game “serves as a universal language spoken across the globe, cutting across national, cultural and socio-economic barriers.”
He said the game has become “a pivotal platform” championing gender equality and social inclusion, “a common ground where individuals from varying backgrounds converge, promoting mutual understanding, tolerance, respect and solidarity.”
The resolution acknowledges “the global reach of football and its impact in various spheres, including commerce, peace and diplomacy, and recognizing that football creates a space for cooperation.”
On May 25, the resolution “invites” all nations, U.N. bodies, international organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector to observe World Football Day in line with national priorities “and to disseminate the advantages of football for all, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities.”
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