Multicultural Events

SAIL Visits the MCG

Several students from the Sudanese Australia Integrated Learning (SAIL) program in Dandenong recently journeyed all the way into the MCG to watch the Collingwood v Melbourne match under lights.

The majority of the SAIL students are between 7-14 years of age and enjoyed witnessing a tough and close contest on the field, with a pie in one hand and a footy in the other.

It is with good reason that the MCG rates among the great sporting landmarks in the world!

SAIL is a not-for-profit, secular, volunteer-run education, recreation and welfare organisation that provides free language support and community services to the Sudanese refugee community.

Essendon FC Visit the Japanese School of Melbourne

With the help of Ali Fahour (Multicultural Development Officer - Essendon FC), Danny Charters, Michito Sakaki, Yosuke Kuno and the Essendon Football Club, the students of the Japanese School of Melbourne were provided with a fantastic football experience.

About 100 Japanese children, aged 9-16 and their parents attended the event. The students were shown a DVD on Australian Rules Football as an introdcution, followed by an AFL player talk from Danny Charters. After this a skill session was held which the japanese students took to quickly. The children (and parents) found the whole event a lot of fun. To top off the experience the group of over 100 attended the Essendon Vs Western Bulldogs match at the Telstra Dome.

Living in Harmony partners AFL diversity drive

Click on the link below to read the media release regarding the partnership between the AFL and the Australian Government's Living in Harmony program.

Living in Harmony Media Release

Flemington JFC and the Horn of Africa "Kicking on With Us!"

Flemington Junior Aussie Rules Football Club, in conjunction with the Horn of Africa communities of North Melbourne and Flemington, is celebrating! And we need you to come and help us party! This season more than 50 young men and boys from our local African communities have joined Flemington Juniors – and we’re glad they did! Click on the link below for more information.

Premiers Gala Dinner, Victorian Multicultural Commission 2006

Australian Football League, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou delivered the attached speech to an audience of 1500 people at the Premiers Gala Dinner 2006. Click on the link below to view the delivered speech.

AFL Multicultural Program Launch 2006

Australian Football League, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou delivered the attached speech as part of the official launch of the Multicultural Program in partnership with the Department for Victorian Communities, AFL Victoria and AFL Clubs Western Bulldogs FC, Collingwood FC and Hawthorn FC. Click on the link below to view the delivered speech

Football Journeys Wrap Up

The Western Bulldogs celebrated Refugee Week 2006 in style yesterdzy with the Football Journeys event at Whitten Oval.

Football jouneys celebrated the acievement and contribution of the western region's refugee and culturally and linguistically diverse communities through football.

The day started with the Great Football Debate featuring six young refugee students from Gilmore Gils College and Braybrook College and was chaired by Ahmed Ahmed, youth worker with the Jesuit Social Services. Despite a balanced judging panel featuring representatives from the AFL, soccer and the two participating schools, the debate was narrowly won by the negative team (Braybrook College) who successfully argued that Football is better than Soccer.

Following the debate, the boys and girls Grand Finals of the AFL Multicultural Schools Cup were played alongside an International Rules exhibition match between St Alban's Secondary College and the Western English Language School (WELS).

The showcase match featured students from a diverse range of backgrounds, from Sudan and Burma. Despite the match being played in difficult windy conditions, the skills of the secondary students was of an extremely high standard, expecially considering that the players first heard of the International Rules game three weeks ago.

The match was closely contested throughout the four quarters with St Albans SC leading by a sole over at quarter time, with the teams having netted a goal apiece. However, WELS kept St Albans scoreless in the second quarter whilst scoring a goal and an over themselves to go into half time leading by six points.

St Albans missed some socring opportunities kicking with the wind in the third quarter, managing three behinds to WELS one behind. However, they continued to fight back in the fourth quarter, kicking overs and behinds whilst defending valiantly. Time was their biggest enemy and when the full time siren sounded, WELS had managed to hold off St Albans by the narrowest of margins, winning 2.1.3 (18) to 1.2.5 (17).

Football Journeys Results

the Great Football Debate: Braybrook College (football) defeated Gilmore Girls College (soccer)
International Rules Match: WELS 2.1.3 (18) def St Albans SC 1.2.5 (17)
MSP Cup Boys Division: Footscray PS 3.4 (22) def St Albans North PS 2.1 (13)
MSP Cup Girls Division: Dinjerra PS 6.4 (40) def Ardeer PS 0.1 (1)

Australian Internationl Academy AFL Player Appearance

Grade 5 students from the Australian International Academy in Coburg and AFL Multicultural Development Officer Peter Romaniw celebrated the end of the school’s Multicultural Program with a special visit from Richmond footballers Kelvin Moore and Ray Hall. The students thoroughly enjoyed the entire program which gave them the opportunity to improve their Australian Football skills in a fun environment, visit AFL World, listen to an inspirational presentation from Jason McCartney and attend an umpiring session with ex VFL umpire Neville Nash.

If any schools in the Central/Eastern region of Melbourne would like to apply to be a part of the program in 2007 please contact Peter Romaniw on 9426 4414 or peter.romaniw@afl.com.au

Richmond footballers Ray Hall and Kelvin Moore (far right), Nick Hatzoglou (AFL Multicultural Project Coordinator) and Multicultural Development Officers Peter Romaniw (left) and Michael Ngyuen (middle) present student from Australian International Academy in Coburg with prize packs during their graduation ceremony.

Peter Romaniw is swamped by students at the Australian International Academy at the conclusion of their graduation ceremony.