Warming up for the World Cup
The other Australian team heading to the World Cup in South Africa - UNSW's Football United - had a successful warm-up match against politicians in Canberra this week.
The other Australian team heading to the World Cup in South Africa - UNSW's Football United - had a successful warm-up match against politicians in Canberra this week.
The other Australian team heading to the World Cup in South Africa - UNSW's Football United - had a warm-up match against the Parliamentary team in Canberra this week.
The Football United team of refugee youth is one of only 32 in the world invited to take part in the Football for Hope Festival - an official event of the FIFA World Cup.
Football United won their "friendly" game, defeating the Parliamentary team 4 -2 in a penalty shootout, after a one-all draw at full time.
Politicians donning the green and gold included Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Veterans' Affairs Minister Alan Griffin, Labor senators Mark Arbib, Belinda Neal, and Family First's Steve Fielding. They were helped along by Matilda Lydia Williams.
Football United is an initiative of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW. Working in partnership with councils, migrant resource centres and football clubs and associations, it uses football to build opportunities for social inclusion among the 7,000 refugee children who arrive in Australia every year.
Ahead of the team's departure on June 27, a new partnership has been announced with the charity Save the Children. This will allow Football United to expand its program of support for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 at Lurnea High School and introduce a new program at Fairfield High School, both in Sydney.
The team will be training on the UNSW Library Lawn on Sunday, 20 June, between 9am and noon.
For more information, go to the Football United website.
Media contact: Susi Hamilton, UNSW media, 9385 1583