Right at the start of this year's 9th season of Football for Friendship (F4F), the International Children's Social Programme organised by Gazprom, the young participants from over 200 countries discussed their contribution to environmental protection. In an online challenge, whose theme was "Small steps to save the planet", the young F4F participants presented their contribution to environmental protection in short video clips and invited other children in the project to do the same. The challenge was launched on 15th May at the first digital meeting of the Young Players and Young Journalists aged 12 to 14 years. For Leonardo Lewis from Spain, Madina Maysar from Kazakhstan, Mintoser Bahr from Libya and Nanihi Broseus from Tahiti, doing without plastic bags and plastic bottles is at the top of their list of priorities. Asif Muhammad Rashid from Sri Lanka and Dominic Kremberger from Sweden try to use water sparingly, whilst Ananya Kamboji from India and Mohamad Adam Faris from Brunei were supported by many other participants in their appeal to use public transport more often. Further suggestions from the young participants covered the need to use energy sparingly and to use renewable energies more, to stop using chemical fertilizers, to start composting food and garden waste and to make greater use of renewable raw materials. They can be viewed by clicking on the following video link: https://youtu.be/bsK04TU0ZV8. F4F has been committed for many years to treating nature and the environment with care. In 2018, for example, the practice of giving the International Teams of Friendship the names of animal species that are threatened with extinction was introduced. This year, teams with names like: "Chinese alligator", "Red-legged crow" and "Dusky shark" are taking part in the F4F eWorld Championship, which will take place in a digital format on the multiplayer simulator "Football for Friendship World" (F4F World) from 24th to 29th May. 32 Teams of Friendship with players from over 200 countries will be participating. About the programme: The International Children's Social Programme Football for Friendship has been run by Gazprom since 2013. Over the previous eight seasons, the programme has brought together over 15,000 participants from 211 countries and regions and over 6,000,000 supporters. Video - https://youtu.be/bsK04TU0ZV8 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1502205/F4F_Gazprom_Logo.jpg SOURCE: Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship