First assignment. News report on a local event with interview
Volunteer organisation Sports for Change held its third
annual Community Festival at Clifton Park in Brunswick last Saturday, which
aims to celebrate and promote cultural diversity through participation in
sport.
“We think there isn’t
enough of that stuff going on,” said Ms Nunez, Sports for Change founder. “This
provides an opportunity [for people] to get out of their safety zones… while
having a bit of fun.
“We live in a country that’s so full of so many cultures, we
use sport as a means to bring them together, to enjoy the diversity, to have a
bit of fun. Sport should be a right for everyone.”
Ms Nunez, while acknowledging that people “tend to stick
with their own” and don’t often interact with other communities, rejected suggestions
that this made Australia a racist country.
“I always have problems with saying a country is
categorically racist. I think the issue of racism is alive and true… there’s a
lot of mis-information and mis-interpretation of events.”
The feature of the Community Festival was the seven-a-side
football tournament held throughout the day. The tournament featured a record
sixteen teams, doubling the number from the first festival held in 2010.
The teams, drawing players from across Melbourne and
regional Victoria, represented their different cultural communities. This
included teams from more established communities, such as the Irish and Chinese
teams; as well teams from communities more recently arrived in Australia, such
as the Bhutanese team.
Teams from African
and Middle Eastern communities were also present.
There were activities away from the pitch to keep the public
entertained, with Sports for Change providing a barbeque, face painting and a
merchandise and information tent. An outdoor zumba class was also held.
Providing a backdrop to the day was a selection of music
from the different communities as well as some more popular tunes to inspire
the competitors. The Ambulance Victoria Pipe Band and members from the
Brunswick Community Gospel Choir also performed.
Speaking on the day, local MP Jane Garrett described the
festival as a “wonderful event and cause to be part of” as it helped to “bring
people closer together” by “celebrating the spirit of sport.”
The day also received positive feedback from the players and
public, with one member of the Afghani team, the Hazaras, saying the event
definitely brings communities closer together, and that they would like to come
back next year, even though they live in Ballarat.
