Hundreds of youth and their families from UNSW’s Football United program will be special guests of Sydney FC when they take on the Newcastle Jets as part of the Harmony Game celebrations at Allianz Stadium this Sunday.
Hundreds of youth and their families from UNSW-s Football United program will be special guests of Sydney FC when they take on the Newcastle Jets as part of the Harmony Game celebrations at Allianz Stadium this Sunday.
In addition to engagements with Football United-s community-based activities, Sydney FC holds an annual event to support Football United, which uses the power of football to build opportunities for belonging, racial harmony and social inclusion among the 7,000 refugee children who arrive in Australia every year.
This year-s Football United event is being held in conjunction with the nationally recognized Harmony day, an annual event sponsored by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to celebrate Australia-s cultural diversity.
This year-s Harmony Day event specifically celebrates the power of sport to bring people together, and football, as the only truly global game, provides a special space in which to celebrate.
Football United is an initiative of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW, working in partnership with Councils, Migrant Resource Centres and football clubs and associations all over Sydney.
Founding Director, Anne Bunde-Birouste, said Football United has come a long way since its humble, yet ambitious, beginning with one community program in 2006.
“Our research provides testimonial to the program-s significant impact on fostering cross-cultural harmony,” Ms Bunde-Birouste said. “Sydney FC and DIAC have supported us from the beginning and we are thrilled to celebrate this amazing Harmony Day with their support.”
Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Sport, Kate Lundy will be the special guest for the match, recognizing Football-s unique capacity to bring Australians from all walks of life together through their shared passion.
The Sydney FC and Football United partnership started five years ago and is one of the Sky Blues- six Community Partnerships with recently naturalized Australian citizen and Sydney FC Captain Terry McFlynn the program-s Ambassador.
“Sydney FC has had a Community Partnership with Football United since the program-s beginnings,” said Sydney FC GM, Community & Game Development, Stefan Kamasz. “One of the most powerful means of supporting Football United is to honour them at a game every year. It-s fitting that we celebrate our Football United partnership this year with our first Harmony Game in conjunction with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.”
The Football United kids, volunteers and staff will all be outfitted in special Harmony Day orange triple-branded t-shirts when Sydney FC takes on Newcastle Jets at Allianz Stadium on Sunday afternoon (4pm kick off).
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Allianz Stadium
Sunday 25 March
4pm kick off
Sydney FC is offering a special ticket offer for this game which allows fans to buy 2 tickets and get 1 free. Adult tickets are available from $20 and families from $50. (Please note this offer applies only to pre-sale through www.ticketek.com.au)
