Soccer stars to raise fund for Pakistan flood victims

UNITED NATIONS - Dozens of renowned footballers will take part in a charity match in Greece Tuesday to raise funds for the people affected by Pakistan floods and Haiti earthquake, a UN official has said.

“Tuesday’s 8th Annual Match Against Poverty will feature UN Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, among more than 30 international footballers, hosted by the Olympiakos Football Club in Piraeus, Greece,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said Monday at a daily news briefing.

“Proceeds from the match will go in part to support the people of Haiti and Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The floods in Pakistan that started in July this year killed around 1,700 people and affected more than 20 million. Overall economic loss has been estimated at around $9.5 billion.

In Haiti, the devastating Jan 12 earthquake killed 250,000 people. Besides, the country is currently facing cholera epidemic that has killed more than 1,800 people.