The Young Leaders – who all use the power of football to positively impact young people in their communities – received training in community football and leadership and had the opportunity to deliver football sessions to local youth at City Football Schools Abu Dhabi.
Mindy, one of the Young Leaders from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia said: “When we visited CFS, I loved the level of high energy amongst the coaches and players. There was such a positive vibe out on the pitch, and it is amazing how football was able to help us to connect to each other.”
Michel, a Young Leader from Mexico City, added: “The leadership and empathy that the City coaches have shown us is what we’ll take back to our communities. This has been an unforgettable experience.”
A highlight of the Young Leaders’ trip was the opportunity to visit Etihad Airways HQ in Abu Dhabi for an interactive workshop on leadership, inspired by the airline’s ‘Grow with Etihad – Leadership Excellence Programme’ and led by Andrew Stotter-Brooks, Vice President Learning and Development, Etihad Aviation Group.
Across the four-days, the Young Leaders also experienced and enjoyed Abu Dhabi and much of what it has to offer as a leading cultural destination.
Zahrah, a Young Leader and coach with City in the Community (CITC) said: “We were fortunate enough to go to Emirates Palace, EXPO2020 Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and meet some incredible people.
“As Young Leaders, we all come from different backgrounds but importantly we are all speaking about the same goals, and the fact that we can take this experience back to our communities in amazing.”
Watch the video to see more of what they got up to in Abu Dhabi!
