SOS Children's Villages present at opening match in Munich

Friday, 9 June will be remembered by football fans as the day when the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ opened with the match between Germany and Costa Rica. Thousands of lucky ticket holders from all over the world arrived early at FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich to take in the festive atmosphere and to visit the various stands in the commercial display area.

Among the stands was the SOS Children's Villages information area. Many football enthusiasts stopped by the SOS stand to learn more about the 6 villages for 2006 campaign, the joint charity campaign between FIFA and SOS Children’s Villages which will serve to give 800 orphaned or abandoned children a new family home at six new children’s villages. An additional 5,000 children and 1,000 families will benefit from ancillary social projects.

The information stand had a summertime motif, with tropical flowers, colourful umbrellas and a bright banner depicting the 6 villages for 2006 campaign. There was also a table for face-painting, and hundreds of football fans had their country's colours or flags painted on their faces by Armin, a local artist. Many people simply stopped by the information stand because they were curious about the campaign. SOS Children's Villages representatives passed out flyers, pins and spoke about the work of SOS Children's Villages in general and the 6 villages for 2006 campaign in particular.

In a very unique and touching moment, a young boy and his parents visited the information stand. When asked if he knew anything about the 6 villages for 2006 campaign, the child responded that he was very familiar with both the campaign and the organisation's work.

His father asked, "O.K., what is the 6 villages for 2006 campaign?" The boy quickly answered, "They are building six new children's villages around the world." The father then asked, "And what does SOS Children's Villages do?" The child responded, "They give a home to children who do not have parents or whose parents cannot care for them."

Players were led onto the pitch before the match by "escort kids" who sported a 6 villages for 2006 emblem on their shirts. Escort kids will wear this slogan during 32 of the 64 2006 FIFA World Cup™ contests.

SOS Children's Villages will present the 6 villages for 2006 campaign in the commercial display areas of fifteen events at ten venues throughout Germany during the 2006 FIFA World Cup™. Venues include Munich, Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Hannover, Leipzig, Hamburg, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Berlin.