THE UNITY CUP 2013 will be held on Sunday 17 and 24 March, with the Melbourne Football Club proud to be supporting the Cup in its sixth year. In his role as ambassador, Fijian-born Demons recruit David Rodan will be among the AFL players attending the event, which encourages culturally diverse communities to come together through a common appreciation of AFL football.

The initiative was created by the Australian Federal Police and the Essendon Football Club in 2008, and has since gained the support from the AFL Multicultural Program. Through football, the event aims to strengthen the relationship between culturally diverse communities and the Australian Police force, as well as creating social inclusion and public awareness.

The Unity Cup has had great success over last five years, and this is the first time the Melbourne Football Club will be a part of this event.  The Club has been working closely with the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) in the Dandenong region to engage youth to participate in the Unity Cup.  The CMY Demons are a multi-faceted team, consisting of various backgrounds including Afghan, Iraqi and African, and will wear the Melbourne home guernsey.

The Club will also be supporting and mentoring the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) team. The ICV team will wear the Melbourne away guernsey, and will be coached by MFC Community Coordinator Glenn Balmforth.

Along with the Demons, co-hosts for this year’s event include the Essendon, Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne Football Clubs. It will include a round robin competition, and will feature 12 teams from around the country comprising of Muslim, Jewish and Indigenous backgrounds.

The Unity Cup will comprise of two match days; the Victorian Championships held at Eztel Street Reserve and the National Championships  which will be held at JJ Holland Park in Kensington from 9 am. Entry is free and the day will include an AFL 9s women’s exhibition game, AFL player autograph opportunities and family activities, as well as a Halal and Kosher barbecue.