In acknowledgement of International Refugee Week, Newington College, in conjunction with Uniting Care, welcomed a newly formed Football team of young refugee men onto the Johnson Oval for a lunchtime exhibition match on the last day of Term 2.

Most of the visiting players were from Afghanistan and Pakistan and are of Hazara ethnicity- a group that has a long history of being persecuted in that part of the world.

Our guests were quite overwhelmed by the enthusiastic student ‘tunnel’ that cheered and back-slapped them onto the field.

Not only did the match make history by being the first Football match to be played on the hallowed Johnson Rugby field but more importantly our boys were able to play their part in making this often misunderstood group of young men feel more welcome in their new homeland.

Mr Mick Madden
Head of Service Learning