Changing shades of green

An important conference addressing contemporary issues in terms of migration and social cohesion will take place at the Miltown Institute. A full agenda of the conference is outlined below.

The title of the conference is Changing Shades of Green and it will take place on October 13, 2006.



Keynote address- Michael Mc Dowell

Manuel Jordao, Representative, UNHCR Representation, Dublin 10.45 Changing Shades of Green:Challenges & Opportunities

Dr Patrick Claffey, Dept of Mission Theology & Culture at Miltown Institute

10:30am
Cultural change and social cohesion
Sarah Spencer (Associate Director, Centre on Migration, University of Oxford
Piaris Mc Enri (UCC)

12.30
Religious identities & social cohesion
in a secular state

Dr. Katy Radford, Irish School of Ecumenics,
Belfast
Dr. Tony Fahey, Economic & Social Research
Institute, Dublin

13.30 Lunch Break
(Lunch available at MI restaurant if booked

a)
Integration Policy & Practice

John Haskins, Head of Integration Policy
Reception & Immigration Agency, Dublin

Michael Begley, Director, SPIRASI

b)

Islam in Europe,

Ali Selim, M.Phil, Theologian with Islamic Cultural Centre

Philip Watt, Director of the National Consultative
Committee on Racism & Interculturalism, Dublin

c)

The Pastoral Care of Migrants
Sr. Joan Roddy, The Irish Commission for Justice
& Peace, Maynooth
Dr. Paddy Roe, Milltown Institute

15.30 Coffee Break

15.45 Plenary Discussion
Chair: TBA Panel: Tony Fahey, John Haskins,
Piaras McEnri, Ali Selim Sarah Spencer,
Katy Radford, Joan Roddy, Philip Watt

16.30 Closing Ceremony
Dr. John Dardis, S.J., Vice-Chancellor,
Milltown Institute

Applications for places at the conference can be sent to changingshadesofgreen@milltown-institute.ie

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World Players Anti-racism conference

Scene from the Homeless World Cup 2006, Cape Town.

Under the shadow of Table Mountain and the blue South African sky FIFPro held an anti-racism conference to coincide with the launch of the Homeless World Cup which kicked off in Cape Town, South Africa, on 23 September 2006.


The seminar was attended by 150 delegates from the 48 countries who are
participating in the Homeless World Cup.


The highlight of the conference was the speech of the South African freedom
fighter, Tokyo Sexwale, who is also a member of the FIFA 2010 Local
organising committee.






Pictured left to right are: Tokyo Sexwale (South African Sports Minister, Eusebio, Lesley Hinds (Lord Provist of Edinburgh), Tony Higgins (Scottish PFA) and below: Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe and Chris Fortuin (both SAFPU).

Portuguese legend Eusebio attended as the FIFPro anti-racism ambassador and was given a standing ovation by the delegates.

President of the FIFPro anti-racism committee, Tony Higgins, outlined to the
delegates and the worlds press FIFPro's work in ensuring professional
players from all over the world continue to lead the way in delivering the
anti-racism message.

"Racism and homelessness are strongly linked as they are both results of
discrimination and that is why FIFPro decided to hold our conference in Cape
Town to coincide with the Homeless World Cup." said Higgins. He also
announced that the South Africa players union, SAFPU, has been chosen to
develop FIFPro's anti-racism project for 2007.


A question and answer session followed various presentations from invited
guests including Lord Provist of Edinburgh, Lesley Hinds, Chris Fortuin,
SAFPU, Piara Power, FARE, Fran Gavin, FIFPro and Tokyo Sexwale.
Also in attendance was William Gaillard from UEFA

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BK Sari league International rescheduled Fixtures 1st October

Full listing below


Sunday 12:30 Libya V Hong Kong Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 12:30 Brazil V D.R.Congo Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Algeria V Polska Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Somalia V South Africa Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Polish Eagles V Angola Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Romania V Poland Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Ireland V Italy Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Polonia V Zimbabwe Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 15:00 Slovakia V Nigeria Utd Saint Anne’s Park

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Hibs & Hearts against racism

Hibs and Hearts stars have joined forces as part of a campaign to give racism the boot. Both sets of players will hold up red cards before the first Edinburgh derby of the season kicks off at Easter Road on October 15.


Stars from across the football divide met at the City Chambers in Edinburgh yesterday at the launch of the Show Racism the Red Card action plan. Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart joined Hearts players Jose Conclaves and Andy Diver as plans were announced to contact pupils from 32 primary schools across Edinburgh. The initiative has already been launched in Glasgow and the anti-racism message will be spread across the country.

Former Celtic player Gerry Britton has taken on the role as educational co-ordinator.
Gerry said:"It's great that we're establishing strong links with Edinburgh city council. "We have to tackle the problem of racism and educating the school children is a good place to start. It is important for the big clubs to be pro-active.
Racism is a bigger problem at grassroots level in football and we have to look at the reasons for this."

Michael Stewart said: "I'm delighted to be asked along to help out."
© The Daily Record http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk

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More cases of racist chanting in German football

The German Football Federation (DFB) Monday launched an investigation into racist chants at a Bundesliga match in the second incident of fan abuse of players within a week.

The DFB control committee is to look into a report compiled by referee Michael Weiner into the match on Saturday between Alemannia Aachen and Borussia Moenchengladbach. Weiner threatened to take players off the pitch if Aachen fans continued to chant "asylum seeker" at Moenchengladbach's Brazilian striker Kahe. It has since emerged that Aachen's Zambian defender Moses Sichone was also the subject of abuse from a section of fans.

Weiner has submitted a special report into the incidents, and the DFB has now called for statements from both clubs. On Friday, the DFB's sports court fined second-division Hansa Rostock 20,000 euros (about 25,000 dollars) following abuse of German striker Gerald Asamoah during a cup match last week. Asamoah, who left Ghana for Germany as a boy, was taunted while playing for Schalke 04 at Hansa Rostock's amateur reserve side.

Home fans made monkey noises when the player - a member of Germany's World Cup squad - was near the ball. DFB president Theo Zwanziger has warned clubs they bear the responsibility for the behaviour of their fans. Incidents of racism at grounds could lead to point deductions, he said. However, the incident at Rostock will not endanger Germany's friendly international against Georgia in the northeastern city on October 7, Zwanziger said.

Asked whether consideration had been made to call off the match, Zwanziger told the daily Leipziger Volkszeitung: "Quite honestly, I thought about it for two seconds. But then you have to consider: who would be affected by this decision? "We would have hit many people who have nothing to do with right-wing radicalism." However Zwanziger said he expected "far stronger measures" by the clubs against any incidents of racism at football grounds. In an interview with the Tagesspiegel daily on Sunday, Zwanziger said clubs had to take their share of the blame for incidents of racism and could be punished severely by the DFB. "The clubs are also implicated. They can no longer talk their way out of it by saying radical-right and racist incidents are the work of a few troublemakers.

"They bear the responsibility and have to live with the consequences - up to the loss of points."

At the match in Aachen Saturday, referee Weiner instructed the stadium announcer to warn spectators he would take both teams off if he heard any further abuse of Kahe. The match continued and Aachen won 4-2. German referees head Volker Roth praised the referee's action, saying: "The decision from Mr. Weiner was completely right. Racism doesn't belong in a football stadium - that's why the referees were told again not to tolerate such smears." Roth said he believed Saturday's racist chanting was a copycat incident triggered by what happened to Asamoah. Zwanziger meanwhile said the international match in Rostock would be another signal for football in the eastern region of Germany. "The east is football country, that was so before East Germany, during East Germany and afterwards. If you renounce this (football) country you damage football as a whole in Germany," he said.

Expatica News http://www.expatica.com/

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Eto'o faces fresh abuse

Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o was targeted by racist taunts after scoring at Racing Santander in the Spanish league on Sunday.


Eto'o opened the scoring in the 18th minute for Barcelona at Sardinero stadium before suffering racism from local supporters. Barcelona went on to win the match 3-0. The striker had already suffered similar taunts at the same stadium last season. Eto'o, often the victim of racism in Spain's football stadiums, almost walked off the pitch at Real Zaragoza in February but the club were merely fined US$11,000. The latest incident will be the first incident since the Spanish government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero passed a bill with the aim of fighting against racism in sport, with more severe punishments proposed. In June, Fifa warned it will suspend national associations who fail to impose the new tough rules that came into force in July.
BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/

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Brian Kerr International League Fixtures

For the fixtures list click below


Brian Kerr International League



The Schedule for this Weekend (16-17rd of September)
Day Time Teams Location Score


Saturday 12:00 Libya V South Africa Saint Anne’s Park

Saturday 12:00 Nigeria + V Zimbabwe Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 12:00 Nigeria Utd V Polska Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 12:00 Brazil V Hong Kong Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Algeria V Ireland Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Angola V D.R.Congo Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Romania V Italy Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Polonia V Somalia Saint Anne’s Park

Sunday 14:00 Polish Eagles V Poland Naas Walkinstown

Sunday 14:00 Slovakia V Poland Walkinstown

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FIFPRO to launch World Campaign against Racism

Football Legends Eusebio and John Barnes to launch FIFPro The World Professional Players Football Union drive against racism in the build up the World Cup in South Africa 2010 on the occasion of the 2006 Homeless World Cup in Cape Town.



The World Professional Footballer's organisation FIFPro (Fédération Internationale des Footballeurs Professionels) announced in Johannesburg, South Africa that it is to set up a campaign against racism in advance of World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

FIFPro intends to utilise the impact of its high profile members that includes 57,500 professional footballers around the World including the current FIFPro World Player of the Year Barcelona's Brazilian Superstar Ronaldinho.

FIFPro will stage an anti-racism conference in Cape Town, South Africa on the 23 September 2006 on the occasion of the Homeless World Cup. Speaking out against racism at the conference will be Mozambique born Portuguese global icon Eusebio.

Theo van Seggelen, General Secretary of FIFPro, comments: 'Frequently our members are highlighted in the national and international media as being targets of racist abuse. While these incidents are highlighted due to the high level of media interest the sport of football enjoys, regrettably there are incidents of racism around the world that never get mentioned ranging from racist remarks and intimidation, to institutionalised racism to physical aggression and attacks.

This is an issue our members feel very strongly about and want to do what they can to promote the concept of racial harmony and respect. Our members are icons to millions of football fans around the world, we are seeking to maximise that influence to carry a positive message that famous footballers hate racism and want everyone to show respect and an appreciation for people of all races, nationalities and faiths.'

Football Legend Eusebio comments: 'FIFPro's initiative here in South Africa is to be commended. Professional players are respected around the world they are listened to. With this fame and influence comes responsibility. I am delighted that the World's top players are coming together in this way to tell the people of the World that racism must never be tolerated.'

The Head of FIFPro's Committee Against Racism Tony Higgins, remarks: 'In the build up to World Cup 2010 the focus is very much going to be on Africa. The progress South Africa has made in addressing discrimination is considerable. Nelson Mandela becoming President marked a massive change in South African society, a historic change for the better. In Africa as in, regrettably most other countries around the World racism is still an issue that requires to be addressed. The FIFPro Anti-Racism Conference in Cape Town will be the start of a number of FIFPro initiatives in Africa to promote racial diversity and to work against racism through utilising the influence of professional players around the world. FIFA have also indicated that they are keen to work with FIFPro to involve players as role models in combating this evil.'

England, Watford, Liverpool and Newcastle legend, Jamaican born, John Barnes MBE, who faced racism many times as a player, including the occasion of his well remembered wonder goal against Brazil in 1984 when racists in among the England support who had travelled to Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium shouted racist abuse at him as he proudly represented his country, comments: 'This is a great idea by FIFPro. Its players can greatly influence the opinions of supporters around the world. Africa should be proud of the great players it is producing that are gracing the top football leagues around the world .It is a disgrace when players such as the excellent Samuel Eto'o can't play in Europe without experiencing vile racist abuse. It is important for players to stand up and say that they are not going to accept their team-mates being treated in this way. I am delighted to give my support to FIFPro's excellent work in this area to send an important message not just within football but to the wider society.'

The anti-racism conference is sponsored by FIFPro. It is also being part sponsored by the country of Scotland. Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell has staged a campaign promoting cultural diversity and standing against racism called 'One Scotland Many Cultures'. Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell comments: 'Scotland is delighted to be a sponsor of FIFPro's initiative against racism in Africa. Scotland is a country proud of the diversity of its people and we are also proud to support the Show Racism the Red Card campaign. There is no place for racism and we are pleased to play our part in fighting racism in world football.'

The conference to be held in Cape Town will take place on the occasion of the Homeless World Cup 2006. Mel Young, Co-founder & President, Homeless World Cup, said: 'It is absolutely excellent that FIFPro has decided to hold their anti-racism conference in association with the Homeless World Cup. Discrimination in any form is not acceptable in modern society. The way to create a functional society is to include everyone, regardless of the colour of their skin. There is a close symmetry between racism and homelessness and we must eradicate both permanently. The Homeless World Cup concentrates on lifting people out of homelessness and exclusion through football. We wish FIFPro's campaign every success. It will take away the stigma of racism from society.'

Source: www.fifpro.org

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European guide against racism launched by UEFA

Tackling Racism in Club Football - A Guide For Clubs has been issued initially in English to herald the start of the new UEFA club competition season and is the latest step in the concerted campaign being waged by UEFA and FARE to rid the game of racism and discrimination.



Concerted campaign


Various other language versions will follow in the coming months. The guide contains an explanation of racism and the different manifestions of discrimination and intolerance, such as anti-semitism or homophobia, and provides clubs with important ground rules for specific activities in tackling racism.

Educational activities

These include educational activities, holding anti-racism days, school activities, using players and coaches to speak out against racism and influence opinion, co-operation with the media, and other ways of working together with fan groups.

The guide has been developed following the second Unite Against Racism conference at the Camp Nou, Barcelona in February 2006, and is the sequel to a good-practice guide aimed at national associations following the first conference in London in 2003.

The practice suggested in the new guide is tried and tested or practical enough to be adapted to the needs and operating environments of most sides.

Up the agenda

"In 2003, the need to tackle racism was already understood as an issue the European game had to address with vigour," the guide says. "Since then, the political and sporting environment has moved it further up the agenda. Within the game, there has been concern about players who have been abused at the highest level; in some countries, far right and neo-Nazi activities around stadiums have become more evident, and prominent individuals have made abusive comments that have been broadcast around the world."

Government action

Such incidents have led to concerns at a political level, with governments seeking to intervene to encourage and support the process of tackling racism and discrimination.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament passed a resolution noting that protection from discrimination for reasons of ethnic origin or nationality is a fundamental objective of the European Community.

The Independent Review of European Sport, published earlier this summer, also urged action against racism from the football family.

Club level

"Club football is at the heart of our sport," the guide says. "The clubs themselves, their players and fans make the news week in, week out for most of the year. It is where many of the most dynamic developments in the game take place. And it is at club level that action to tackle racism bears most fruit. The main issues for clubs are identified as the need to tackle racial abuse and institutional exclusion above all, and then to ensure we are working to integrate minority and migrant communities. This guide sets out what can be done and how.

Principles and advice
"It would be impossible to include all examples of good practice in a document of this kind," the guide concludes, "so the focus is on setting out broad principles and advice, with a few relevant examples. It is to all intents and purposes a starting point that will help us to reach our collective goal of a sport that is free of discrimination and an exemplar for the ideal of a multicultural Europe."

UEFA guide for clubs on promoting anti-racism and interculturalism
is downloadable on www.theredcard.org

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Intercontinental league results from Sunday 3rd September

The results for week 1 of the Intercontinental League are listed below with league table and forthcoming fixtures on 17th September. Week 2 provides a concoction of continental and national derby matches.

However watch out for Hong Kong and Brazil who both fared well in their first outing. Brazil will be keen to be seen to match the standing of their international seniors, though they were beaten in what appears to be the most competitive match in the first week by raining Brian Kerr Intercontintal Champions and Leinster Senior League team Polish Eagles.


Libya V Angola 6:1
Hong Kong V Algeria 3:0
Somalia V Poland Naas 4:1
South Africa V Italy 8:0

Romania V Polski 3:2
Slovakia V Congo 3:2
Polish Eagles V Brazil 2:1
Poland V Polonia 4:0

Table
Wins Lose Draws Played Points
1 South A 1 0 0 1 3
2 Libya 1 0 0 1 3
3 Poland 1 0 0 1 3
4 Somalia 1 0 0 1 3
5 Hong K 1 0 0 1 3
6 Slovakia 1 0 0 1 3
7 Romania 1 0 0 1 3
8 Polish E 1 0 0 1 3
9 Polski 0 1 0 1 0
10 Congo 0 1 0 1 0
11 Brazil 0 1 0 1 0
12 Poland N 0 1 0 1 0
13 Angola 0 1 0 1 0
14 Algeria 0 1 0 1 0
15 Polonia 0 1 0 1 0
16 Italy 0 1 0 1 0

Ireland, Nigeria, Nigeria Plus and Zimbabwe have yet to play

Next games are 17/9/06 in Walkinstown and St Annes Park, Raheny

The break is due to the SARI soccerfest next weekend.

The fixtures are as follows:

Libya V South Africa
Algeria V Ireland
Nigeria Plus V (No match)
Polish Eagles V Poland Naas
Angola V Congo
Romania V Italy
Slovakia V Poland
Nigeria V Polska
Brazil V Hong Kong
Polonia V Somalia

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