en.Wedoany.com Reported - UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba, alongside Madeline Bell, CEO of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia Parks Commissioner Susan Slawson, City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., and the West Philadelphia Soccer Academy (WPSA), announced the completion of a new year-round soccer field at Conestoga Park in West Philadelphia. The project was funded by the UAE Embassy and CHOP.
Ambassador Otaiba stated that as Philadelphia welcomes the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the UAE supports the city's next generation of players. The field at Conestoga Park is not just an infrastructure gift but also reflects shared values such as sports building character and children deserving safe spaces to grow. The friendship between the UAE and the United States can be measured by what they build together. CHOP CEO Madeline Bell noted that the Conestoga soccer field is a unique example of global cooperation benefiting local communities and children. As a member of the Philadelphia community, CHOP is excited to collaborate with the UAE and the City of Philadelphia. Commissioner Slawson remarked that Conestoga Park is a vital community asset in West Philadelphia, and this project reflects Mayor Parker and the City of Philadelphia's commitment to investing in youth and expanding quality recreational opportunities, helping more young people learn, play, and grow both on and off the field. WPSA Director and Head Coach Sylvester Corbie said that since 1994, WPSA has been the only soccer club in West Philadelphia, and now, for the first time, it has a home worthy of these dreams. This safe, accessible, and free-to-use field tells the community's youth that the World Cup is not just an event to watch but a cause to participate in. Councilmember Jones Jr. stated that the Fourth District continues to grow as a recreational destination, and the new field is an excellent addition.
CHOP maintains a long-term partnership with the UAE, formalized through an agreement covering direct clinical care for Emirati children, medical education, joint research, and specialized training programs. The new field at Conestoga Park is the latest in a series of soccer fields supported by the UAE Embassy in underserved communities across the United States, providing quality fields and free coaching services to thousands of children in Boston, New York City (Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx), Miami, East Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Cleveland, Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and Washington, D.C.
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