Australian Football will unite Melbourne’s culturally diverse communities, the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Essendon Football Club on Sunday 21 June when they gather for the second annual Unity Cup Family Day round robin competition.
 

The event aims to strengthen relationships between the Muslim community and the wider community with a view to greater community harmony and social inclusion.

Essendon general manager of media and community Simon Matthews hoped

Essendon and AFP’s Community Liaison Team could develop the Unity Cup into an integral event for the club’s and community’s social calendars.

 

“Sport has the ability to communicate across cultures and break down language barriers, which makes it a powerful tool to support the development of a stronger, more resilient and unified society. When applied effectively, sports programs promote social inclusion and mutual understanding which helps to reduce tension and generate dialogue. The club believes the Unity Cup does exactly that and we are very excited to once again be involved,” Matthews said.

 

Essendon player and Multicultural Program Ambassador Andrew Welsh was impressed with the skills and ability of each of the four community teams last year and hoped to see more individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds playing Australian Football.

 

“Having guys like Bachar Houli and Michael Quinn playing at Essendon is important for the multicultural community as AFL players are role models for many young people. You can learn a lot about individuals and communities just by playing and participating in sport,” Welsh said.

 
AFP Melbourne Office Manager Alan Scott said the Unity Cup provides an excellent opportunity for people to see that police are also part of the communities in which they live and work.
 
""This event goes some way towards developing a greater understanding of the role of law enforcement officers,"" he said.
 
""The event builds on the work the AFP Community Liaison Team and the community have been doing over the past 12 months, working together to build a relationship between the community and the AFP:
 
“This event is about fostering mutual understanding and respect and highlighting the positive ways in which police and culturally diverse communities are working together.""

 

Other events scheduled for the Unity Cup Family Day include:

 

•          autograph signings by Essendon stars

•          a community BBQ

•          children’s Auskick clinics

•          women’s activities

•          children’s entertainment and more.

 

The Unity Cup is supported by the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the Australian Multicultural Foundation, Sports Without Borders, the AFL Multicultural Program and Channel Seven.