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10 February 2009

The Irish FA’s Football For All Ambassador Colin Murray today highlighted what he considers to be the three key goals for the Irish FA’s Community Relations Football For All campaign in 2009:

Colin said, “Northern Ireland Football has been bringing communities together since 1880. With continued support from the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs and financial support from the EU Peace III programme, the three key goals for the Football For All project in 2009 are:

1. To further mainstream Good Relations policies and practices throughout all aspects of the Irish FA.
2. To continue to empower and support Football Clubs, Fans and Volunteers to remove all barriers to inclusion.
3. To continue to lead the way in sport in Northern Ireland with innovative and community driven ideas to challenge both racism and sectarianism”.

Northern Ireland Football Manager, Nigel Worthington, took time out from his preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifier against San Marino to add his support and highlight some key Football For All events coming up later in 2009:

Nigel said, “The Irish FA’s anti-sectarian Football For All campaign is making a meaningful difference and has the full support of the Northern Ireland international football team. We must all be Football For All Ambassadors for Northern Ireland Football. Some key Football For All events coming up in 2009 include:

• Good Relations (anti-sectarian and anti-racism) training for all Irish FA Staff once every six months.
• A Celebrating Respect Through Football Festival at Seaview on Saturday 28^th March, in partnership with Crusaders, The Northern Ireland Polish Association and the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs, prior to Northern Ireland playing Poland that night at Windsor Park in World Cup Qualifier.
• A Football For All Fan’s 7aside Charity Tournament at the Olympia Leisure Centre also on Saturday 28^thMarch.
• The Football For All Peace III launch on the 1^st April at the Odyssey Storm Cinema showing the world premier of the Northern Ireland Fans Football For All Film, chronicling the Fan’s story of how they are tackling sectarianism, prior to Northern Ireland playing Slovenia that night at Windsor Park in World Cup Qualifier.
• A Football For All conference on Safety and Stewarding, highlighting the importance of creating a safe environment for all to enjoy football and launching a new co-ordinated plan of support for Clubs.
• The launch of a Northern Ireland wide football Respect campaign.
• The pilot of Northern Ireland Football Ambassadors Projects in partnership with Fans, Players and Community Groups at a variety of Clubs across Northern Ireland to help create safer and more family orientated culture at Irish League games.
• The annual Football For All Intercultural Unity Cup, on June 21^st, the official day of Reflection and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
• A Football For All World United Anti-Racism month in October.
• The annual Football For All Unsung Heroes Awards ceremony recognising and rewarding Football Volunteers who are breaking down barriers to inclusion, in November”.

A passionate Colin Murray concluded, “The success of Football For All has always been that the Fans and Volunteers are at the heart of the changes. I am delighted to hear that the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs has planned a number of Fan driven Football For All events around the home games against Poland and Slovenia later this year. I believe passionately that diversity should be respected and celebrated. I believe passionately that racism and sectarianism should always be challenged. I believe that Northern Ireland Football more than any other sport has a chance to reflect a new Northern Ireland and a new more inclusive Northern Irish identity where everyone from this part of the world can feel safe and happy becoming involved in the sport of Football”.

For further information contact Michael Boyd on 07894614328 or mboyd@irishfa.com