The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday that preparations were underway to launch the international (Football for Peace in Kuwait - Land of Friendship and Peace) initiative next February.

This announcement came following a preparatory meeting for the initiative hosted by the Foreign Ministry, with ambassadors of the participating countries in attendance.

In a statement to KUNA, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees and Chairperson of Alnowair Initiative Sheikha Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah emphasized that the initiative organized by the ministry in collaboration with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and the United Nations in Kuwait, would aim to spread humanitarian diplomacy and unite people through sports.

Sheikha Intisar continued that the initiative included a series of friendly games between youth teams of both genders representing various football academies in Kuwait and the initiative's participating countries.

She highlighted that the initiative came upon the suggestion of the Italian Ambassador to Kuwait Lorenzo Morini, adding that the participating countries comprise of Italy, Palestine, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Egypt, India, and Armenia.

She noted that all the proceeds of the initiative from matches and accompanying activities, which include an auction of gloves and shirts of famous players from the participating academies, would be donated to the children of Palestine.

In a similar statement, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Abdulaziz Al-Jarallah said that the initiative fell within the scope of Kuwait's efforts to enhance diplomacy and soft power, particularly through the use of sports to spread peace and bring people and civilizations closer together.

Al-Jarallah further conveyed Kuwait's support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at resolving conflicts through peaceful means, underlining Kuwait's adoption of the United Nations Resolution (A/77/L.28) which recognizes sport as an enabler of sustainable development.