NEAFL Eastern launches Multicultural Round
The NEAFL and AFL Canberra today launched their Multicultural Round, a way of paying tribute to the extensive cultural diversity of Australian Rules Football players, coaches, administrators and fans from all around Australia.
In a ceremony at the Woden Tradies Club today, figures from within the NEAFL, AFL Canberra and Government paid tribute to the modern game’s embrace of multiculturalism and the significant contributions made to the game by people from multicultural backgrounds, both on and off the field.
Minister for Sport and Multicultural Affairs, Kate Lundy, praised the AFL and NEAFL for using sport as a great platform for social inclusion and emphasised the great potential Multicultural Round has to celebrate the culture of the wider Australian community.
“It’s just a great way to celebrate who we are as a nation” she said.
Chair of the National Ethnic Disability Alliance, Juan de la Torre, also expressed his excitement for the concept of Multicultural Round and the positive impact that football can have in the wider community.
“Football is the best interaction in multiculturalism … It definitely brings people together” he said
Captain of Sydney Uni, Alex Lee, who is originally from Singapore, also contemplated the benefits Multicultural Round can have beyond the football field in communities Australia-wide.
“We play our part (as footballers) in the community to create multiculturalism in Australia, it’s fantastic” he said.
Multicultural Round will kick off for the NEAFL and AFL Canberra this Saturday.