SOS Children's SOS Children's Villages France at the 6th FIFA Confederations Cup

The FIFA Confederations Cup was started in 1997 and is attended by champions of all the continents, as well as the defending champion and team of the host nation. Among the teams coming together for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, taking place in France from 18 till 29 June, will be the national teams from Brasil, Cameroon, Turkey and, of course, the "Equipe Tricolore" - European Champions, host team and defending champions.

SOS Children's Villages France, which has already enjoyed success in partnership with both FIFA and the French football association (FFF) with many events linking sport and social responsibility, will also have a public stage at this major footballing event for its concerns - and children will go hand in hand onto the pitch with some of football's greats. At four games children from French SOS Children's Villages will accompany the teams onto the pitch: at the opening game between France and Columbia on 18 June in Lyon, at both semi-finals on 26 June, and at the final in Paris on 29 June.

Michel Gacon, national director of SOS Children's Villages France has said of the event: "The link between SOS Children's Villages and the Confederations Cup is a new opportunity to make a large public aware of the concerns of SOS Children's Villages France, which has been committed to helping children in need in France and all over the world for more than forty years."

One person who has made a particular effort for children in the SOS Children's Villages is French national player Robert Pirès who, since 1998, has played his role as "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages" ambassador with seriousness and enthusiasm. In the run up to the Confederations Cup, Pirès will give a talk to the press on 14 June in the training centre of the French national team in Clairefontaine. He will talk not only about his honorary position as ambassador for children but also of the meaning of social commitment and sport.