AS a first-generation Australian, born to Sri Lankan Muslim parents, I know all too well the difficulties faced by migrants in creating that equal sense of belonging and trust within their newly found communities.
In my experience working with community groups throughout the region, I’ve found that when newly arrived people settle in Australia, there is an automatic ‘us and them’ situation . Us being the migrants and their familiar migrant communities, and them being the wider Australian community.
I’m passionate about working with new and emerging communities to remove that divide and increase migrants’ sense of belonging and empower them. I’m lucky that I have a great vehicle for doing that through my role as a lawyer in the Dandenong office of Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.
I now have another great opportunity to help strengthen the community, as an AFL multicultural community ambassador for season 2013, an honour I’m extremely excited about. It’s a natural extension to my passion for community work, helping the disadvantaged and those from non-English-speaking backgrounds throughout Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia and Monash.
As part of my role, I hope to connect AFL staff with the community to boost local engagement and inclusion via multicultural programs.
The AFL multicultural community ambassador role is a clever way to use sport to strengthen communities.
Sport is an integral part of Australian life and culture and plays a vital role in multicultural Australia as a tool for social inclusion, empowering many newly arrived Australians to develop an identity and sense of active belonging.
The AFL in particular is at the centre of Australian sport and has taken a leadership position in trying to bring Australian communities together.
I witnessed one great example of that in 2011, when we hosted the AFL Peace Team at our Maurice Blackburn iftar dinner. Ramadan is the holiest month on the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from dawn until dusk, and then break their fast with family and friends. This special meal is called iftar.
The team consisted of 13 Israeli and 13 Palestinians who had competed in the AFL International Cup as a united Peace Team. Seated between two footy players eating kosher and halal, and witnessing how they supported each other, uniting in the name of sport, was so powerful and inspiring.
The role of the AFL in this regard was significant in creating such harmony not only between countries, but between our own communities here in Melbourne.
I hope to be able to take such powerful experiences and build on them in my new ambassadorial role.
