PR96097

BHUBANESWAR, India, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/-

    Bhubaneswar-based Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) has unrolled

itself back to international glory in the field of sports. None other than the

FIFA, world's premier governing body for football, showed the willingness to

realign its ties with the KISS with the objective to strengthen the cooperation

in the 'Football For School' initiative in Odisha and later to make a pan-India

outreach in South Asia as well.  

    A letter of intent has been signed in this regard between Youri Djorkaeff,

CEO, FIFA Foundation, and Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KISS. The document

broadly sets out terms for both entities to commit to investigating avenues of

opportunity together – particularly concerning the extension of the Football

for Schools programme, which is already active across ten FIFA Member

Associations, said a statement.

    FIFA has selected KISS as the nodal agency for the promotion of football as

it was encouraged by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's big emphasis on

promoting sports as a whole.  

    In October last year, KISS announced the launch of India's first-ever FIFA

Football for School Programme in association with FIFA.

    The latest development seeks to take the engagement between FIFA and KISS,

a KIIT constituent, to a new level. According to the letter, KISS will act as

knowledge hubs for Football for Schools training, and logistical hubs for

Football for Schools balls distribution.

    Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Djorkaeff said: "It is with great pride and

excitement that today we sign this letter of intent with the Kalinga Institute

of Social Sciences. FIFA Foundation's Football for Schools programme was

launched to positively impact the lives of 700 million children.

    "Football is the global game, and we have already seen the power it has to

unite, inspire, and educate in every corner of the world through the work

already done by this programme. I am certain the collaboration we have set in

motion today with help enhance that further still and I welcome the

opportunities it will undoubtedly bring to millions of children across the

region," Dr. Samanta said in his reaction. Dr. Samanta praised Chief Minister

for promoting sports in a big way in the State and being a constant source of

encouragement for all sportspersons. Also Football aficionados and lovers of

the game have welcomed the FIFA-KISS latest initiative and congratulated Dr.

Samanta for the collaboration.

    "The programme is on its way to achieving that goal and is active in South

America, Africa, East Asia, the Caribbean, and the Arab world. The partnership

we are officialising here today is the next step on the journey in India and

South Asia," he said  

    About KISS:

    KISS is the world's largest fully free residential school and university

for indigenous children, with 30,000 residential students and 30,000 studying

on satellite campuses. It has already provided a platform for many

sportspersons with state-of-the-art facilities.  

    Swiss Member of Parliament Dr. Niklaus Samuel Gugger is the Global

Ambassador of KISS.

    Media Contact:

    Dr. Shradhanjali Nayak

    director.pr@kiit.ac.in

    +91 674 2725636

    Photo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1821807/Dr_Achyuta_Samanta_Youri_Djorkaeff_Sign_MoU.jpg

    Source: KIIT