Football, flights and futures

Every company is defined in two ways: by what it does — and by why.

At Pro Sky, the “what” is providing full service support that simplifies travel on scheduled flights, aircraft charters, and private jets. Our customized solutions save time and make life easier for MICE organizers, groups, and VIPs.

Yet each year, some of our most important clients have no budget for air travel and have never been on a plane. They’re the socially disadvantaged young people from many nations around the world who come together to engage in the football3 tournament. More than a series of athletic matches, football3 gives them access to the personal development and growth that comes from exposure to a variety of ideas, values, and cultural perspectives.

Picture (1): streetfootballworld, Picture (2): Pro Sky

 These young people, ages 15 to 18, help to define our “why.” Although our daily tasks revolve around air travel logistics, we never lose sight of the reason people fly. Travel brings people closer. Whether they’re work colleagues, associates in a group, or members of a family, getting on a plane is an opportunity to get in closer touch with one another. To strengthen relationships. Rekindle feelings of connection. And build new memories as they remember what matters most to them.

Pro Sky proudly supports the global NGO streetfootballworld and its national network partners, including Cologne-based RheinFlanke. The organization held Festival16 in Lyon last year as well as this year’s competition, which took place September 14-18 in Cologne. As a corporate sponsor of the event, Pro Sky managed bookings of flights for 37 participants from 10 European countries and paid for most of those tickets. 

 Pictures: Pro Sky

“In addition to being fans of the sport, we recognize that football, like aviation, has the power to bring people together,” says Pro Sky CEO Armin Truger. “That, in turn, helps us to minimize our differences, focus on the values and priorities we have in common, and discover ways to make the world a better place. And those goals define not only our commitment to good corporate citizenship, but the underlying mission of everything we do at Pro Sky.”  

In the same way, streetfootballworld and the football3 festival are about more than friendly competition and good sportsmanship. The organization promotes values such as fair play, gender equality, and respect along with education and employability.

“Our goal is to create an event that helps the participants become better prepared to master life skills and meet the challenges they will face as adulthood approaches,” says George Springborg, responsible for streetfootballworld’s Network Development. “We have seen how even a few days can have a significant impact on these young people’s world view and capacity for dreaming of a better life. And we are grateful for Pro Sky’s contribution to the festival’s success.”