The 15th edition of the Dominique Ouattara Cup was launched this Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Cocody at the headquarters of the Children Of Africa Foundation.

The launch ceremony witnessed the participation of Mrs Dominique Ouattara, President of the Children Of Africa Foundation, Mr Asso Lath Jacques, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Minister Delegate for Sport and the Living Environment, Mr Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of the Ivorian Football Federation, and several other personalities and former famous Ivorian soccer.

This 15th edition will take place in 71 localities across the country. It will feature not only young boys, but also young girls aged 7 to 15. The aim is to enable the kids to enjoy their vacation through sport and help them develop moral and ethical values such as respect, tolerance, solidarity, team spirit and fairplay.

More than 28 milion F CFA will be distributed among the localities as rewards for this 15th edition of the Dominique Ouattara Cup. Each locality received 410,000 F CFA, 04 trophies, 3 sets of shirts and 6 balls.

These are just some of the reasons why this competition has been organized for almost 15 years. For Mrs Dominique Ouattara, the Children of Africa Foundation has always worked for the well-being of children, offering them a wide range of opportunities for personal development. For the wife of the Head of State, sport - and soccer in particular - is a powerful tool for instilling essential values in young people and promoting healthy living. "That's why we've been investing in the organization of this tournament for over 15 years, convinced that it contributes to forging a strong, united youth," Mrs Dominique Ouattara recalled.

Soccer is the king of sports in Côte d'Ivoire. It brings people together and brings them joy. For Mrs Dominique Ouattara, the organization of the last African Cup of Nations (CAN) showed the importance of this sport, which arouses great joy and passion in the hearts of the people. For the President of the Children Of Africa Foundation, this soccer tournament finds all its meaning because its major concern is to create happiness in the hearts of the people. "As you all know, in Côte d'Ivoire, soccer is a highly prized sport that brings people together and brings joy. The recent organization of the ACN in our country showed us how much passion and emotion this sport can arouse in the hearts of all.

It's this exceptional festive atmosphere that we want to offer to people in the various neighborhoods every year, by putting children at the heart of this fun and educational activity. And we're happy that, with each new edition, the Foundation's tournament is more successful than ever", declared Mrs. Dominique Ouattara. The President of the Children Of Africa Foundation concluded by inviting the children to seize the opportunity to fully live their passion.

Mr. Asso Lath Jacques, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Minister for Sport and the Living Environment, took this opportunity to thank Mrs Dominique Ouattara for organizing this tournament for children. He also reminded the audience of the values of sport, especially as he felt that this competition would give the children a chance to enjoy a healthy school vacation.

Mr. Idriss Yacine Diallo, President of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF), revealed the social dimension of this tournament for children. According to Mr. Diallo, the Dominique Ouattara Cup soccer tournament is much more than just a sporting event. Indeed, for him, it is more of a social action whose objective is to invest in the future of children. According to Mr. Idriss Diallo Yacine, soccer is now seen by the population as important to fight poverty.

Mr. Vagbama Tambla, mayor of Mankono, on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked Mrs. Dominique Ouattara for organizing the competition. His words were echoed by young Zampou Arouna, spokesman for the beneficiaries. On behalf of all the children, he thanked Mrs Dominique Ouattara.

Ivorian international Max Alain Gradel took advantage of the ceremony to donate the jersey with which he scored his last goal at the ACN 2023.

As part of the rewards, each locality will receive  410,000 F CFA, 4 trophies, 3 sets of shirts and 6 balls. In all, more than 26 milion F CFA will be shared between the various teams at this 15th edition.