Having a ball … Karen Youth Organisation soccer coach Mark Htoosaw, centre, with players from the Chin and Karen Burmese ethnic groups who are playing in the annual friendship soccer match this weekend.Picture: LEN WILLIAMS.
By Candice Boyle
A SOCCER ball will help unite recently arrived refugees from Burma this weekend.
The Karen and Chin refugees will display their new skills during the friendship soccer event on Saturday 13 October in Laverton.
The series of soccer matches have been organised by the New Hope Foundation in Footscray to raise the awareness of the various young refugee groups living in the West. New Hope Foundation representative John Mirabile the teams would comprise young players who have recently been accepted into Australia as refugees.
“Soccer is a worldwide sport and unifying force, which will bring young refugee people together from various cultural backgrounds,” he said.
Mr Mirabile said the soccer day aimed to educate refugees about the process of joining structured sport competitions and creating bonds in the community.
“We are inviting service providers and sports groups along to help increase the profile of these young people so they can be provided with opportunities to participate in sporting and recreational activities,” he said.
The event will be held at Laverton Park’s A.B. Shaw Reserve on the corner of Merton St and Railway Ave, Laverton, with games beginning at 10am.
