The third edition of the Diplomatic Football Championship kicked off in Erbil, featuring representatives from diplomatic missions and foreign consulates, in an initiative that combines sports with diplomacy and fosters friendship and communication between countries.
The opening ceremony was held at the Real Madrid Academy in Erbil, under the patronage and organization of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government, in cooperation with the Real Madrid Foundation and Erbil Arena, with high-level official and diplomatic attendance.
Sven Dzi, head of the Department of Foreign Relations in the Kurdistan Regional Government, stated in a comment followed by the news agency that "the tournament has become an important annual tradition that brings together diplomats and representatives of countries in a sporting atmosphere away from the pressures of official and political work."
Dzi added: "We are very happy to organize the third edition of the Diplomatic Football Championship in cooperation with the Real Madrid Foundation and our friends at Erbil Arena," pointing out that "these events are not limited to the sports aspect but represent a genuine opportunity to enhance the bonds of friendship, rapprochement, and continuous communication between the Kurdistan Regional Government and representatives of the diplomatic missions and foreign consulates operating in the region."
He continued, "The broad attendance of consuls and diplomats, along with the participation of various teams, reflects the region's success in being an oasis of security, stability, and peaceful coexistence, and a venue for cultural exchange and enhancing public diplomacy through the gateway of sports that brings together rather than divides."