The Ball arrives in Vietnam

Diary notice: 8.3.2023

The 6th epic journey of The Ball from the home of football in London to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, promoting climate action and gender equality, visits Hanoi from 9 to 11 March 2023.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Vietnam Office and the Hanoi Academy for Journalism and Communication are hosting The Ball – the beautiful game’s equivalent to the Olympic Torch – in Hanoi from 9 to 11 March 2023. Amongst others, Minh Nguyet, former Vietnamese national female football player is going to sign The Ball.
The Ball is traveling from the site of the world’s first official game of football in Battersea Park, London in 1864 to Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, where the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will kick-off on 20th July 2023. On the Ball’s journey, signatures and pledges have been gathered to support gender equality and climate action around the world. The Ball has been signed by more than 55,000 people across 55 countries since 2002. Over the past year, 52 partner organizations have come together to organize more than 30 events and workshops that harness the love people have for football to encour-age action on climate change and gender equality.
In Hanoi, Spirit of Football will share its educational methods on sustainability and gender equality. After the two-day workshop with students from the Hanoi Academy for Journalism and Communication, The Ball will attend a public event at the Academy. The workshop in Hanoi will include a digital link-up to the German Bundesliga Football Club Werder Bremen.

Highlights and statements
Former Vietnamese national female football player, awarded the Golden Ball 2015, Minh Nguyet is going to sign The Ball. The FES in Vietnam is excited to host The Ball and raise awareness for climate action, as Julia Behrens, the Project Director Climate & Energy in Asia, emphasized:
“Vietnam is one of the most affected countries by climate change. At the same time, Vietnam has become a big emitter of greenhouse gases, too. Bringing the Ball to this country that is crazy for football is a great chance to gain support and awareness for socially just climate action.”

The Hanoi Academy for Journalism and Communication sees hosting The Ball as contribution to efforts to reducing Vietnam’s emissions:
“Vietnam is increasingly heavily affected by climate change impacts. We are honored to join The Ball as we are committed to the country’s target Net Zero by 2050. We commit to join hands in reducing emission for the safety and development of our Earth.”

The first person to sign The Ball on its 12-month global climate action and advocacy mission was Katie Rood, the professional footballer who plays for Hearts FC and the New Zealand National Team had this to say: “Everyone loves the World Cup, but if we are to be able to continue play-ing it in the future, we need collective and urgent climate action. The journey of The Ball across land and sea from London to New Zealand is an opportunity for football to get its environmental act in order. I am going to take action. Are you?”.
Spirit of Football’s Ambassador and Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp is also supporting The Ball: “It is a ball for us all. Be part of our team. Everyone can play. Respect your teammates, your opponents and the environment. One Ball, One World.”
Do you want to be involved in the project? Follow The Ball’s journey and make your own pledge. To find out more about the non-profit organization Spirit of Football: https://linktr.ee/spiritoffootball

Next stations
After the workshop in Hanoi, The Ball will visit activities of Football for All in the Hue province, before heading to Cambodia and Thailand. Have a look at The_Ball_Presentation-Deck_2023 for an outline of the project and the current route through Southeast Asia, the Pacific and Oceania.