The "Blooming Pomegranates, Blossoming Youth" China Youth Girls' Football Unity Cup kicked off in Kashgar, a city in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on August 5. The event is being held from August 5 to 9. It is co-hosted by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), the National Ethnic Affairs Commission (NEAC), and the General Administration of Sport of China.
Huang Xiaowei, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, attended the opening ceremony, and she declared the tournament open. Erkin Tuniyaz, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee and Chairman of the regional government, and Zha Xianyou, a full-time member of the NEAC also attended, and they delivered speeches. After the οpening ceremony, attendees enjoyed splendid artistic performances, and the οpening game, between Xinjiang and Guizhou, was held.
The five-day tournament has brought together more than 330 girls, aged 12 to 14, from 14 ethnic groups and 21 teams across the country. All of the girls are non-professional players. "Football serves as a bond to promote exchanges and integration among young people from different ethnic groups. The event is meaningful, as it enables girls, who love football, to achieve mutual growth on the green field," said the head coach of Shandong's team. A 12-year-old ethnic Yi player, on Sichuan's team, said "This competition allowed me to walk οut οf my hometown for the first time. I feel really welcomed in Xinjiang. I am so happy to play football with peers who also have a football dream."
The final game and closing ceremony is scheduled for August 9. During the tournament, players will attend various activities to cultivate patriotism, and to forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
Zhang Dongmei, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, hosted the opening ceremony. Officials from relevant departments of ACWF and NEAC, Xinjiang regional government, and local women's federations, and more than 1,500 spectators, attended.
Photos by Yang Rui
(Source: Women Voice)
Editor: Cui Rui
