SECRETARY-GENERAL AND WORLD SOCCER FEDERATION PRESIDENT TO HOLD JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

16 June 1999

Press Release

SECRETARY-GENERAL AND WORLD SOCCER FEDERATION PRESIDENT TO HOLD JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

19990616 New Partnership Will Be Announced; Soccer Stars Pele, Kristine Lilly to Participate

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the head of the world soccer federation, Joseph Blatter, President, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), will hold a joint press conference to launch a cooperative relationship between the United Nations and FIFA. The press conference will be held on the North Lawn of United Nations Headquarters in New York on Friday, 18 June, at 11:30 a.m.

Also at the press conference will be world soccer stars Pele (Brazil) and Kristine Lilly (United States), who will conduct a soccer clinic with young soccer players from the United Nations International School (UNIS), Elmont Soccer Club and the United States Youth Soccer Association immediately after the press conference on the North Lawn.

The following day, Saturday, 19 June, the Secretary-General will officially open the FIFA Women's World Cup immediately prior to the first game starting at 3 p.m. at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey. The FIFA Women's World Cup games are being held in the United States ending 10 July.

At the press conference it will be announced that FIFA has agreed to fly the United Nations flag at all World Cup games, beginning with the FIFA Women's World Cup series.

Also to be announced is a series of planned joint activities between the United Nations and FIFA to publicize United Nations activities throughout the world. The joint programmes will promote the themes of tolerance, health, development, hope and social integration. They will address topics such as gender equality and efforts against racism; physical fitness and campaigns against smoking and drug abuse; children rights, education, social opportunity and the plight of children in armed conflict.

- 2 - Note No. 5564 16 June 1999

The press conference will be moderated by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations, Gillian Sorensen, and is being organized by her Office in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) and FIFA.

For more information, please telephone (212) 963-8745; for media accreditation, telephone: (212) 963-6934; for United Nations television coverage, telephone: (212) 963-7650.

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