Football United to celebrate Human Rights Day at Football NSW

The 2012 Primary school Festival will be the first of its kind, using football to promote human rights and cross cultural harmony with children and youth from diverse backgrounds.
The objectives of the day include :

• Provide an enjoyable experience for up to 120 children for primary schools local to Football United high school program sites
• Contribute to the ongoing leadership development of Football United coaches and youth as part of the Football United Leadership program, supported by the Australian Sports Commission’s Active After School Communities program
• Provide a platform to create an ongoing relationship between primary schools and  high schools
• Create awareness and a better understanding of human rights, particularly children?s rights

Football United A-League and W-League ambassadors from Sydney FC and West Sydney Wanderers FC, and other special guests will be present to celebrate.
Generous donations have been received from Amnesty International Australia and Jamberoo Pub and the Johnny Warren Foundation in support of this event, along with other donors including The Attorney General?s Department, The Department of Immigration and Citizenship, and the Department of Family and Community Services.
This year, Football United launched its three-year ARC Linkage Research Report ?Playing For Change – Change Lives Through Football? endorsed by University of New South Wales Chancellor David Gonski. The report announced a new partnership with the Australian Research Association for Children and Youth to take Football United nationally.
Football United founder Anne Bunde-Birouste was full of praise of the program.
?Our recently launched research report, ?Playing for Change?, highlighted the depth of impact of the program. The festival is an opportunity for people to come out and witness firsthand the inspiration that program participants provide to all.?
Based at UNSW?s School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Football United began in 2006 with the goal of supporting refugee and newly-arrived young people and families in their transition into Australian society.
The vision has evolved to become a program which combines a number of effective mechanisms for engaging and re-engaging young people with refugee experiences and disadvantaged youth into their communities, fostering their educational engagement and promoting cross cultural harmony.
What: Football United primary school festival
When:  10am – 3pm, Monday 10 December
Where: Valentine Sports Park, 235-257 Meurants Lane, Glenwood
-Football United Press Release