Fans' Embassies meet host cities

PRESS RELEASE:

Today marks the beginning of a four week process as supporters groups from across Europe begin their preparations for Euro 2012 in earnest. Representatives from supporter organisations in England, Sweden and France are the first to embark on the programme, co-ordinated by the Football Supporters Europe network (FSE), which will help them get ready for their visit to Ukraine in the summer.

Between 23rd January and 18th February representatives of the fans' embassy teams from 11 of the 14 visiting competing nations will travel to their respective host cities for a series of preparatory events and familiarisation.

Kyiv and Donetsk are the first cities to welcome the FSE delegation, along with fans from the Football Supporters' Federation (England), Camp Sweden and Fans' Embassy France, from 23rd to 27th January. During their visit, they will meet and discuss tournament and matchday arrangements with the local organising committees, representatives from the English, French and Swedish embassies in Ukraine, police and security forces, and various host city representatives in a number of workshops.

The visits will also offer the opportunity for the fans' embassy teams to tour the stadiums, cities and fanzones, to gain an insight into the places they will call home for a short period this summer.

The visits offer an ideal opportunity for the fans' embassy teams to familiarise themselves with potentially unfamiliar surroundings and to build relationships with the local organisers. They also provide the opportunity to ask questions and raise any concerns they may have with the local authorities.

Local media are welcome to attend a press conference with the visiting fans, which will be held after each set of workshops in each host city.

Further visits to Wroclaw and Warsaw (30th January – 3rd February), Poznan and Gdansk (6th – 10th February) and Lviv and Kharkiv (13th-18th February) are due to take place.

Thomas Gassler, co-ordinator of the Fans' Embassy project on behalf of FSE, said "Following the launch of our online guide to Poland and Ukraine in December, these visits mark the next major step in our preparations for organising the best possible Fans' Embassies at this summer's tournament"

"We are looking forward to a month of hard work, and hope that the travelling delegations of fans from across the continent gain the insight they need into their host cities to help them get ready for Euro 2012."

Notes to Editors:

• Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is an independent, representative and democratically organised grass-roots network of football fans' in Europe with members 40 countries across the continent. More details about them and their work can be found at http://www.fanseurope.org

• For media accreditation or to attend any of the press conferences, contact Thomas Gassler at FSE This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• The visits are organised by FSE, and co-ordinated with PL.2012, State Service for Youth and Sports Ukraine, All Ukrainian Supporters Association and the local Fans' Embassy staff in all eight host cities