Paris Saint-Germain celebrates International Women's Day
Along with the Minister for Sports Madame Roxana Maracineanu and Madame Nathalie Boy, the LFP président, the Paris Saint-Germain Women's team became ambassadors of the young girls participating in the 2019 'Allez les filles!' initiative, put in place by Paris Saint-Germain - Les Enfants d’Abord.
After the end of the training session, the youngsters were able to talk to their new ambassadors, who'll accompany them throughout the season.
The Minister for Sport, Madame Roxana Maracineanu, said: "The government has made gender equality a key cause of its five-year term, and it needs active participation from the private sector, such as professional clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, to help it progress. Sport, particularly because it's in the media and on TV, has a crucial role to play."
Victoriano Melero, Paris Saint-Germain's Secretary General, added: "Through its women's team and its Foundation, Paris Saint-Germain defends the emancipation of women through sport all year long, promotes women's sport and helps young girls practice their chosen sport. We call on all football fans to come to the Stade Jean-Bouin on 27 March for what will be an exceptional UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea."
The aim of the Allez les Filles! initiative, which was launched in 2012, is to initiate young girls aged between eight and 13 into playing sport and making them aware of its benefits and values. The 50 young girls signed up this year come from the OCIRP Foundation, dedicated to orphans, and young girls from the La Soucoupe neighbourhood of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The 15-week programme will give them the chance to discover a number of disciplines through sporting and cultural sessions before they are given a licence to be able to continue practicing the sport of their choice with a club.
Sabrina Delannoy, Deputy Director of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation, said: "We are very happy to be able to offer our young beneficiaries access to sport and a direct link with the club's professional players. The Allez les Filles! initiative was put in place seven years ago. Each year, the players and the girls form very strong bonds. The Paris Saint-Germain Women's team is now among the very best in Europe and our players want to inspire the young generation and transmit the human values of the sport."
As part of the ceremony, the young girls were also given a demonstration by the queen of freestyle football, Lisa Zimouche.