Right To Play and the Liverpool Football Club Foundation are taking their partnership to a new level, working Side by Side to use the power of sport and play to empower children in Bangkok, Liverpool, and beyond.

The Side by Side campaign drives awareness for the game-changing partnership and asks the LFC family to join the Side by Side movement and help raise funds to provide children around the world with the skills and support they need to overcome the impacts of poverty, conflict, and disease, and become empowered to learn, lead, and succeed.

The campaign includes a video narrated by the Reds manager and LFC Foundation Ambassador, Jürgen Klopp, that shows the power of play and sport in action, and aims to inspire viewers to come together and support of the campaign.

“We are so proud to be working in partnership with Liverpool FC Foundation to create a lasting impact in children’s lives,” said Right To Play CEO Dr. Kevin Frey. “Liverpool FC is recognised not just for its accomplishments on the field, but also for its commitment to improving the lives of children and young people in Liverpool and beyond. Right To Play is a global leader in harnessing sport and play to protect, educate and empower the world’s most vulnerable children. Working side by side with LFC Foundation will allow us to combine our expertise to reach more children in Bangkok, Liverpool, and around the world and ensure they have the skills and support they need to learn, lead, and succeed.”

“Millions of children around the world are facing adversity and being forced to grow up too fast. Side by Side gives children the opportunity to rise above their challenges and thrive through the power of sport and play,” said Jürgen Klopp, LFC Foundation Ambassador. “Liverpool Football Club has the best fans in the world -- no matter where we live, we’re all part of the Liverpool family and Side by Side we can do anything.”

During last season’s UEFA Champions League competition, fans may have noticed the addition of the Right To Play logo on LFC’s kit. The logo is still available to purchase from LFC stores for fans to add to their shirts. All the proceeds raised from sales will support the work of the Side by Side partnership.

Right To Play’s partnership with Liverpool FC Foundation has kicked off with joint programs in Liverpool and Thailand and will expand to include other countries as the partnership develops.

In Thailand, the project will support the most vulnerable children in urban Bangkok to develop critical life skills, including leadership, self-confidence, communication and resilience. The project will develop Youth Leaders, who through training, will lead sport and play sessions and become champions amongst their peers and within their local communities. Youth Leaders will also develop skills in organisation, planning and community development that will help them contribute to building their communities and supporting their peers. The program will also build and rehabilitate play spaces to ensure young people have safe, accessible areas to play and learn. Programmes in Thailand launched in October 2020.

In Liverpool, the project will build upon the LFC Foundation’s existing Open Goals programme in Anfield, which provides free multi-sport and play sessions in local parks to help educate and engage young people in the local area. The partnership with Right To Play will enable Open Goals to be delivered in more parks and open spaces in areas of need across the Liverpool City Region, and potentially beyond in the UK.