Saudi- Football legend thanks Najran governor for supporting park 

(MENAFN - Arab News) AC Milan legend Franco Baresi was guest of honor at the inauguration of the first AC Milan Park in Najran. The park is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Najran Gov. Prince Mishaal, who received a personalized AC Milan shirt from Baresi, is patron of the park.

Baresi thanked the prince on behalf of AC Milan football club for supporting the initiative.

From Jan. 18 to 27, the park will be open to youths to play football games on inflatable pitches decked out in red and black, the colors of the Italian club throughout its entire history.

President of Arkan Business Group Hussain A. Al Abdulwahab organized the event after talking to the product manager of Milan's Junior Sector Michele Ferraris at a sports conference in Bahrain.

"On that occasion I showed Abdulwahab a video of the park and described to him all of Milan's initiatives in youth football," explained Ferraris.

These initiatives comprise the Milan Park, a marketing initiative that aims to promote the team and attract youths to its colors, and the Milan Junior Camps that are summer football schools taking place at various locations.

Other AC Milan's activities directed at youths include the annual football schools where kids play for the club in Italy and are coached the Milan way.

Two years after the meeting between Abdulwahab and Ferraris, the new and exciting Milan Park in the Middle East reached Najran thanks to the support of Prince Mishaal.

"Abdulwahab is already thinking of organizing a new event, probably in the Eastern Province. The idea is to keep the Park in Saudi Arabia for the next six months, moving to other cities like Dammam or Riyadh," said Ferraris.