On 18 and 19 September, three rounds of the street football competition, the Football Friends Regional League, was played in Doboj, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Football Friends, a streetfootballworld network member since 2005, aims to provide an outlet for socially deprived children of both genders, as well as re-uniting children from different republics of the former Yugoslavia. Having commenced in Belgrade in 2003, the Football Friends program is part of FIFA's Football for Hope movement.

The first two rounds of the league were played in March 2009, in Foca, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Many of the participating children in September's competition were from various pasts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and were leaving their community for the first time. Notably, the children from Trebinje, Foca, Ustikolina, Gorazde, Sarajevo and Zenica travelled together on the same bus with warm friendships formed during the eight hour journey.

The latest event commenced with traditional dinner for all the participants at the Students' Centre in Doboj, with this type of socializing considered a cornerstone of the program. On behalf of the host city, the participants were greeted by the mayor of Doboj, Mr Obren Petrović, while Mr Zoran Avramović, Football Friends President, presented the captains with gifts, and extended best wishes to all the teams.

The following day, Saturday 19 September, the 3rd, 4th and 5th round of the Football Friends Regional League was played, with the opening two rounds held in March. The venue this time around was the handball pitch in Doboj, the site where one of the biggest handball tournaments in ex-Yugoslavia had been played for many years.

The teams competing were Nikšić, Foča, Ustikolina, Zenica, Kragujevac, Beograd, Banja Luka, Goražde, Mostar, Trebinje, Sarajevo and Doboj. Apart from demonstrating an impressive combination of masterful football skills and fair play, teams of girls and boys from 12 cities from Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina came away with reinforced friendships.

"For most of the children, these gatherings are attitude-changing opportunities, because for the first time in their life they are meeting children of different origin, and have the chance to interact with them in a safe setting," said Zoran Avramović. "These children, whose parents lived in one country, now live in three different entities and do not commonly interact.

"With the establishment of the regional league, they gain insight about different cultures and overcoming stereotypes. Thanks to FIFA and streetfootballworld, the young generation from the Balkan region feels connected with the world again and is getting ready for a better future."