Tarsier, Sulawesi endemic animal, as the mascot of the 2023 Asian Mini Football Championship (AMFC). (ANTARA/Debby Mano)
Gorontalo (ANTARA) – Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) expressed interest to participate in the 2023 Asian Mini Football Championship (AMFC) in Gorontalo, Head of the Youth and Sports Office of Gorontalo Province Wahyudin Katili stated.
"The President of the World Minifootball Federation (WMF) has high expectations from us to succeed in the upcoming 2023 AMFC. Moreover, the president also expressed Russia and the UAE's enthusiasm in partaking in the AMFC in Gorontalo," Katili noted in a press release received here, Wednesday.
He noted that the group draw on May 5 drew chain reactions from minifootball federations of Middle Eastern countries. The charm of whale sharks, culinary arts, and Gorontalo residents' hospitality appealed to foreign delegates and led them to spread the word around.
"I am surprised to find delegates from Iraq, Jordan, and other Middle Eastern countries telling other participants about Gorontalo. They spoke about whale sharks and Gorontalo's culinary arts and hospitality. Even Johni Nielsen from Taiwan said that he would invite delegates from Taiwanese universities to visit Gorontalo," he revealed.
Katili also underscored the need for provincial and district and municipal governments to make the most of the event to promote their regions that in turn will provide support to the provincial government's efforts to use the 2023 AMFC as a means to promote the province's sports tourism.
To offer better experiences to delegates, the organizing committee is also preparing a series of additional events. Hence, the 2023 AMFC, scheduled on August 9-17, 2023, will also feature the Karawo Festival, Whale Shark 10K Half Marathon, and off-road adventure activities.
The provincial government is sanguine that this year's AMFC, with 12 participating countries, will run successfully.
Katili expressed optimism after taking notes from the results of a comparative study conducted at the Minifootball World Cup in Turkey on May 20-23, 2023.
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Translator: Adiwinata Solihin, Tegar NurfitraEditor: Sri Haryati Copyright © ANTARA 2023
