You're reading: FC Shakhtar Donetsk’s social responsibility program recognized as best in Europe

The community and social responsibility program of FC Shakhtar Donetsk has been declared the best in Europe, the club's press service reported on Tuesday.

The annual awards ceremony of the European Club Association (ECA) took place late on September 10. The association unites 201 leading football clubs from 53 countries in Europe. Its participants compete every year in four categories: European Club of the Year, Best Sporting Progress, Best Achievement: Football Relations, and Best Community & Social Responsibility Project.

This year, FC Shakhtar Donetsk received the award for a social project entitled “Say No to Orphanages!” The award was presented by former Chelsea captain Paul Elliott and ECA President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who once played for Bayern and the German national football team, the press service said.

“The main criteria for evaluating competitive projects in the designated category were that they were long term and that they produced a concrete result. In the final, Shakhtar competed for the title with very strong opponents: Manchester City and Benfica, reads the statement.

Director of Marketing and Communications Yuriy Svyrydov receive the award on behalf of the Ukrainian club.