Clarkston student named to Youth Council for international soccer development

After growing up in Sudan, seeking refuge in the United States, and spending years with Atlanta-based non-profit, Soccer in the Streets, Adam Adam became a coach and one of the role models for the organization. Adam’s dedication to Soccer in the Streets and his vision that soccer can make a lasting and positive impact on people’s lives allowed him the opportunity to lead a group of local teens to the streetfootballworld Festival 16 in France.

The week-long festival had a profound impact on Adam’s life. “Best week ever,” he called it. “[The festival] was an unforgettable experience. I learned how football can impact, change, and bring different cultures together and celebrate each other’s uniqueness,” Adam went on to say.

The streetfootballworld Festival “is a global celebration of football’s positive potential,” and it brought “together a global mix of disadvantaged young people who have earned their place on the pitch through their commitment to using football to change the world for good.”

Not only did the festival have an impact on Adam, Adam had an impact on the festival. Out of the 80 young leaders in attendance, Adam was one of the five selected by his peers to be a member of streetworldfootball’s inaugural Youth Council. The Youth Council will take an advisory role to the network board and support the work of streetworldfootball which over two million young people are a part of.

“I feel honored that I am elected in a position to work with teams and help others,” Adam told Soccer in the Streets. In regard to his impact on the global soccer community he furthered, “I also feel very happy that my voice will make a difference—not only in my community but in so many communities around the world.”

To read more about Adam’s involvement and goals for the streetworldfootball Youth Council and the Soccer in the Streets group experience at the festival, check out their post on Medium.