Limited-edition footballs will be sent to girls nominated on the website, to promote global participation of women in the sport Last year, 315 young females from the UAE received a soccer ball and the club hosted events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi featuring top female players MANCHESTER: To mark the upcoming International Women’s Day, Manchester City has announced the launch of its sixth annual “Same City Same Passion” campaign, to promote inclusivity and female participation in football. For the latest updates, follow us on Twitter @ArabNewsSport The aim of the campaign is to inspire girls around the globe to get involved in the sport by sending them limited-edition footballs. Individuals are invited to nominate, through the Man City website, a girl who is passionate about the game and a free ball will be sent to her to inspire and encourage her to play. Since 2018, the Premier League club has sent more than 6,000 footballs to girls worldwide as part of the initiative. Last year, 315 young females from the UAE received one. In addition, Man City hosted exclusive pop-up events at Expo 2020 Dubai and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, featuring appearances by former and current women’s first team players Karen Bardsley, Esme Morgan and Laura Coombs, who met fans to help inspire a new generation of female participation in the sport in the region. Also as part of its celebrations for International Women’s Day the club have launched a unique kit range, the design of which was inspired by Mancunian suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, as Puma joins forces with the club’s charity initiative, City in the Community, to improve access to girls’ football across Greater Manchester. International Women’s Day is celebrated globally each year on March 8.