Erbil hosts meeting of cultures at third Diplomatic Football Tournament

Erbil - Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper

The third edition of the Diplomatic Football Tournament kicked off in the city of Erbil, with representatives of diplomatic missions and foreign consulates participating, in an initiative that brings together sport and diplomacy and strengthens bonds of 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, and in cooperation with the Real Madrid Foundation and the Arena Erbil stadium, amid high-level official and diplomatic attendance.

Sven Dzii, head of the Department of Foreign Relations in the Kurdistan Regional Government, said: "The tournament has become an important annual tradition that brings together diplomats and state representatives in a sporting atmosphere away from the pressures of official and political work."

Dzii added: "We are very pleased to organize the third edition of the Diplomatic Football Tournament in cooperation with the Real Madrid Foundation and our friends at Arena Erbil," noting that "these events are not limited to the sporting aspect, but represent a real opportunity to strengthen bonds of friendship, rapprochement, and ongoing communication between the Kurdistan Regional Government and representatives of the diplomatic missions and foreign consulates operating in the region."

He continued: "The wide attendance of consuls and diplomats, alongside the participation of the various teams, reflects the region's success in being an oasis of security, stability and peaceful coexistence, and a meeting point for cultures and for strengthening public diplomacy through the gateway of sport that unites rather than divides."