By Hamish Heard
CULTURAL harmony scored a goal on Sunday when young soccer players from across the globe came together to contest the inaugural Cultural Diversity Cup in Altona.
The event pitted teams from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds against each other as a forerunner to the State Government’s Cultural Diversity Week celebrations later in the month.
The Ethio-Australian Sports Federation team was the tournament’s eventual winner, coming from behind to beat the Karen Community Soccer team in a penalty shoot-out.
Earlier in the afternoon, community broadcaster Channel 31 scored an emphatic 7-1 victory over rivals from SBS in a special feature match.
Melbourne Victory players Kaz Patafta and Evan Berger also made an appearance at the Altona East soccer ground to meet the players and offer some professional tips.
Solomon Wondimu, part of the winning Ethio-Australian Sports Federation team, said the tournament was played out with a friendly spirit.
“The tournament was a great way to encourage young people to get involved in their new community and contribute some of our own culture, too,” Mr Wondimu said.
City West Water’s general manager for service sustainability Geoff Gardiner presented winners with the cup.
“While the Ethio-Australian team takes home the first Cultural Diversity Cup, all the players involved today showed tremendous enthusiasm and goodwill on and off the pitch,” Mr Gardiner said.
Victorian Multicultural Commission chairman George Lekakis said the event lived up to it’s billing.
“It is great to see Australia’s newest arrivals come together in a spirit of friendship and harmony,” Mr Lekakis said.
The Cultural Diversity Cup was sponsored by the Victorian Multicultural Commission and City West Water, and supported by Victoria Police, Football Federation Victoria, Transport Accident Commission and Metropolitan Fire Brigade.
