Mumbai City FC have launched a campaign with a simple message -- 'Thank You, Goa' -- to show their appreciation to the state and its people for their hospitality and their role in the successful running of the ongoing seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL) amid health and safety restrictions.
As a part of the 'Thank You Goa' campaign, Mumbai City will undertake a tree plantation drive in Goa with the support of the Corporation of the City of Panaji and their Urban Forestry Programme.
For the past six months, the Islanders' contingent of players and staff have camped in a bio-secure bubble at the ITC Grand Goa, trained at the Nagoa Village Panchayat Ground, and have played their 'home' games of the ISL at the GMC Stadium, Bambolim.
Drawing inspiration from the ongoing season, the club will plant five trees for every goal the Islanders score in the seventh season of ISL, contributing to the biodiversity of the beautiful state of Goa.
With two games to go in the league stage of the ISL and a spot in the semi-finals confirmed for the Islanders, the club has scored 27 goals so far in the current season and have committed to plant 135 trees, with the hope of adding to that tally come the end of the season. The tree plantation drive will commence as soon as Mumbai City FC finish the current season of the ISL.
"The last six months have been a huge challenge and working in these unprecedented circumstances has not been easy for anyone. We want to thank all the fantastic individuals and orgsations who, despite the current circumstances, have worked tirelessly to make us feel comfortable in our setting in Goa and who have put up a spectacular show for football fans tuning in from all over India and the world," said Mumbai City FC head coach Sergio Lobera in an official statement.
The plantation drive will be executed in collaboration with The Corporation of the City of Panaji -- the oldest civic institution in Asia. Owing to the work of the corporation, Panjim is hailed as one of the most charming and best-planned cities in the country, being the first city in India to be built on a planned grid system.
"Panaji has always harboured a strong urban forestry programme. It's heartening to have a partnership with Mumbai City FC to further strengthen this initiative and help grow Panaji's and Goa's biodiversity and green cover," said Sanjit Rodrigues, Commissioner, Corporation of the City of Panaji.
( With inputs from ANI )
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