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Published 14 July 2009

Sir Bobby Charlton, Manchester United and England football legend, has joined the University of Brighton’s ground-breaking Football 4 Peace (F4P) project for its latest visit to Israel to train young Jewish and Arab footballers. Joining Sir Bobby Charlton for the special football coaching session this July are coaches from the Manchester United Foundation.

Now in its ninth year, the university's sport-based project F4P continues to break down barriers and bring communities together through the medium of football in Israel. Established in 2001, with just one camp for 60 children in one community, the project has grown significantly.

The latest visit to Israel brings together more than 750 youngsters aged 10-14 years old, who will participate in 11 football and multi-activity camps across Israel. Over 80 university student sports coaches from the University of Brighton and the German Sports University, Cologne, and Jewish and Arab sport professionals from Israel are set to coach the youngsters during the project, which culminates with a final football festival in Bet Shean.

Sir Bobby is perhaps the most famous English sportsman of the twentieth century and one of the greatest players of all time. He survived the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 to become the most recognizable face of the legendary Manchester United and England teams of the 1960s, including England’s World Cup winning team of 1966. Knighted in 1994, Sir Bobby remains an iconic figure in the world sport contributing his unique experience of football to community and sports development.

Sir Bobby said: “Using football to bring different people together is an approach that we endorse as part of our community outreach at Manchester United. I am delighted to be extending this philosophy to Israel. It is a privilege to be working with Arab and Jewish youngsters and to be a part of the Football 4 Peace project.”

F4P Project Director and University of Brighton Professor John Sugden said:”It is fantastic to have one of the greatest ever footballers from one of the world’s biggest football clubs helping with the project this year. It will be a massive thrill for all of the children and a huge morale boost for all of our volunteers. Sir Bobby could be sat by a pool in a luxury hotel, instead he'll be out in the scorching heat alongside our students doing what he knows and loves best - inspiring children through football.”

Football 4 Peace is developed and run by the University of Brighton, British Council, German Sports University and the Israel Sports Authority with additional support from The Football Association of England. As well as helping to improve football skills, the key emphasis of F4P is the teaching and practical application of five values (neutrality; equity and inclusion; respect; trust; and responsibility) that are designed to help to resolve conflict and promote community reconciliation among young people through sport.

For further information visit www.football4peace.eu