PRESS RELEASE

Pakistan Football Captain Zesh Rehman to train young people at Belleek Park Multi-Sports Event on 20th October.

 Ex-Fulham and QPR and Bradford City Player to train local young people at Belleek Park  Zesh took his football Uefa A Licence with the Northern Irish FA  Zesh will also attend the Gala Dinner at the Great National Hotel Ballina in the evening. We are excited to announce that Football Captain Zesh Rehman will be coaching local young people at a multi-sport event, taking place at Belleek Park from 1:30pm on the 20th October. Zesh, who set up the Zesh Rehman Foundation (ZRF) as a not for profit organisation in 2010, is a great advocate of the effect that sport can have on young people stating that; “football has the power to inspire young people from marginalised communities to triumph in the face of adversity. With a clear focus, incessant hunger for success, commitment, humility and faith one can achieve anything in this world.”

Zesh will be contributing to several of the networking discussions on how sport can be used to develop young people in communities with a particular focus on sport as a driver for cohesion, stability and resilience, in particular, learning from Active Communities Network experiences in Belfast. As a Pakistan Football Captain Zesh will add significant international experience and input to this event and we are excited to be working in this context.

Zesh Rehman who is flying in from Brunei to attend the event said; ‘I am looking forward to attending the event in Ballina to see the fantastic work being done across Ireland, get to know more about the work of Laureus, Active Communities and the Mary Robinson Foundation in using sport to support the UN’s sustainable development goals, and to take some of the best practice being promoted from Ireland and applying it through my own Foundation across Asia.’

Notes to Editors:

1. For more information, hi-res pictures or interview requests please contact Stephanie Mack on 020 7407 8177 or email [email protected].

2. Active Communities Network (ACN) is a leading sport for development charity working with young people from disadvantaged communities. ACN delivers grassroots projects, primarily through sport and cultural activity, to engage, support and mentor young people into education, training and employment, countering negative social outcomes such as crime, poverty and mental health issues.

Mini Biography: Zesh Rehman was the first Pakistani international footballer to play professional football in England and in the English . He started his career with Fulham in 1995 and made his first senior team debut in the summer of 2003. He continued to stay with the club for three years which included 30 appearances at first team and two loan spells at Brighton & Hove Albion and Norwich City. Zesh completed a transfer to Queens Park Rangers in 2006 where he stayed for three years which included loan spells at Brighton & Hove, and Bradford City. Zesh then made a permanent move to Bradford City which is where he finished his English football career in 2010. He has since played in the Thai Premier League, and he currently continues his long career in the with Pahang FC. Having previously represented England under 18s, 19s and 20s he continued his international career by making his debut for Pakistan in 2005. He is the current Pakistan captain with 18 appearances and counting.