Profile - Building friendships
Sporting events are building lasting friendships and increasing understanding of Muslims in communities around Australia through projects funded by the National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security.
Tasmania’s first Sportivale event in Hobart in November 2006 brought together sports-skills sessions, expert visitors and sport participation information with a round-robin competition featuring four leading Tasmanian soccer clubs.
Sportivale was organised through the department, the Tasmanian Government and project officer Fawaz Ateem, who had previously been funded by the department to participate in the 2006 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.
About 500 people from diverse cultural backgrounds participated in activities including sessions where they learnt how to join clubs or associations and how to register players and teams.
The information and skills sessions were conducted by groups including Basketball Tasmania, Cricket Tasmania and the Football Federation of Tasmania. Special guests included Dianne Alagich of Australia’s Matildas women’s soccer team.
Activities were conducted by the Active After-school Communities-Program and the Police and Citizens’ Youth Club. Stalls were operated by community organisation Colony 47, the Migrant Resource Centre Southern Tasmania and the local Lions Club.
Organisers say Sportivale encouraged interaction between young people from different backgrounds, and promoted lasting friendships between culturally-diverse communities.
It showed how governments and the community can work together to involve young people in community activities. Many young people were reluctant to board buses home at the end of the event because they enjoyed it so much.
The National Action Plan recognises pressures on Australia’s Muslim communities, and aims to raise awareness of Islam through sporting, cultural and other activities.