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Nestlé Milo to send six football players to FC Barcelona to develop young athletes and football in Sri Lanka

Announces all-island U-12 Sri Lanka Schools Football Tournament organised by the Ministry of Education
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Sunil Hettiarachchi, Secretary to the Ministry of Education receiving a football from Norman Kannangara, Nestlé Vice President – Beverages, to mark the launch of the Inter-School Under 12 Football Tournament.

Six young talented Sri Lankan football players stand the chance to win an opportunity of a lifetime; attending an all-expense paid trip by Milo to a four-day football coaching camp run by FC Barcelona - the FC Barcelona Barça Academy (Soccer School). FC Barcelona is one of the leading professional football clubs in the world.

Milo’s aim is to nourish the ambitions of kids through their participation in sports, and encourage well rounded personalities. FC Barcelona prides itself on five principal values, namely: ‘Humility’, ‘Effort’, ‘Ambition’, ‘Respect’, and ‘Teamwork’. Building on these shared values, Milo and FC Barcelona formed a four-year global partnership to promote healthier lifestyles and the importance of physical activity to young people. Together, they are developing a series of sports programmes to encourage more young people to take part in sports. Committed to developing school sports in Sri Lanka for more than three decades, Milo is leveraging this global agreement to help develop football in Sri Lanka as well as develop and inspire young football stars through its ‘Road to Barcelona’ initiative.

‘Road to Barcelona’ will kick-off with an all-island U-12 Sri Lanka Schools Football Tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association under the patronage of the Ministry of Education. The tournament will be open to boys and girls born in 2007 and 2008. 250 girls’ teams and 800 boys’ teams will take part in the tournament, bringing the total number of participants to 12,600 children. Based on the skills and values demonstrated at the tournament, the best children will be shortlisted to attend a selection camp, where an expert panel of coaches will select the most deserving six players to train in the FC Barcelona – Barça Academy. Children not participating in the tournament will also have the chance to attend the selection camp by purchasing a 400g pack of Milo powder and SMSing a unique code (printed on the top flap) to 6456. More details can be found on the Milo Sri Lanka Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MiloSriLanka).

Said Norman Kannangara, Nestlé Vice President – Beverages: “Milo has always been about fuelling the winning spirit of talented athletes in Sri Lanka, and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle among school children. Over the last 30 years, we have been continually raising the bar in supporting school-level sports and nurturing young athletes, many of whom have gone on to represent the country internationally. We are proud to now offer young Sri Lankan athletes training and development opportunities at a global level.”

Milo isNestlé’s world leading chocolate malt beverage, fortified with vitamins and minerals. Made from fresh milk collected from thousands of Sri Lankan farmers, Milo encourages the consumption of milk amongst children. Milo has been committed to developing school sports in the country for more than three decades. It has been a strong partner in the school sports arena, supporting different sports like rugby, swimming, netball, athletics, and hockey. The grand finalé of the schools’ sports calendar is the Sri LankaSchools Colours Awards, also supported by Milo, which honours the best sports stars in recognition of their performance. Current national cricket captain and Milo brand ambassador, Angelo Mathews, was a recipient of the Sri LankaSchools Colours Awards for two consecutive years.

Said Shivani Hegde, Nestlé Managing Director: “As a leading food and beverage company in Sri Lanka, Nestlé is committed to making a difference in the lives of children in the country. Participating in sports and team activities is a great way for young people to learn the values of teamwork, leadership, fairness, effort, respect and confidence. By educating young people about the importance of sport, physical activity and a balanced diet, we will build a better tomorrow for the next generation and continue in our efforts towards enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.”

Match schedule:

Province

Venue

Date of Tournament

North Central Province

Prison Grounds, Anuradhpura

5th, 6th July 2018

Northern Province

Durayappah Stadium, Jaffna

15th, 16th July 2018

Eastern Province

Municipal Grounds, Trinco

29th, 30th July 2018

Uva Province

Vincent Dias Stadium, Badulla

17th, 18th July 2018

Wayamba Province

People’s Park, Kurunegala

19th,20th July 2018

Central Province

Bogambara Stadium, Kandy

11th, 12th July 2018

Western Province

City League Grounds, Slave Island

7th, 8th July 2018

Sabaragamuwa Province

Sivali Playgrounds, Ratnapura

21st, 22nd July 2018

Southern Province

Uyanwatta Stadium, Matara

9th, 10th July 2018


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