THE second edition of the Power Intercultural Program will wrap up tomorrow night when four schools do battle at the Adelaide Oval as a curtain raiser to Port Adelaide’s blockbuster clash against Melbourne.
In its second year, the Power Intercultural Program is designed to celebrate the vibrancy of cultural diversity and expression in Australia.
It promotes inclusion and builds social cohesion by recognising the positive contribution of different cultures.
The program was launched in 2017 with the belief that if anything can transcend race, intolerance, discrimination or disadvantage, it is sport.
In 2018 225 students have taken part during the first semester of the school year.
The students come from eight schools including Glenunga International High School, Thebarton Senior College, Underdale High School, Australian Islamic College, Pinnacle College, Adelaide Secondary School of English, Garden College and Thomas More College.
For the first time, in 2018 the program has SACE accreditation as part of the Integrated Learning subject.
Current players including Chen Shaoliang, Jimmy Toumpas and Emmanuel Irra are involved in delivering the program along with former player Alipate Carlile and two female role models Tabatha Saville, who plays cricket for the Adelaide Strikers and Salha Lemi who was a previous program participant.
The program is supported by the Department of Home Affairs, OTR, OAK Plus and the AFL.
On Thursday, the program culminated with the students taking part in a 9-a-side football competition, an Interactive Careers Expo, AFL Testing Station and a Hip Hop dance station.
“The program is based on identity, cultural awareness, social cohesion and the ability of these communities to be able to give back and open their arms to other people – being accepting of difference in society and in the community and accepting those differences,” said Port Adelaide Multicultural Programs Manager Alipate Carlile.
“They did a guernsey design where they designed what they wear to the carnival as part of an assessment where they research their cultural roots, ask questions of their fellow students and school community as well so they have to do a fair bit of research.
“Visually some of the guernsey designs are unbelievable with plenty of colour, and all of them have a story, which is the best part, and the kids have penned an explanation.”
Carlile, a former Power defender, said in one school alone there were 84 nationalities represented, making the message of welcome, inclusion and togetherness particularly important.
He said it was a message he was familiar with given his own story.
“With so many diverse backgrounds and nationalities, even in one school alone, it’s pretty important that they know the positives and negatives they bring to each community and can work together,” he said.
“I was born in Fiji and as part of a military coup we were told to leave the country so I share some similarities with some of the students within the program.
“We’ve all got a story and what the program has provided is a platform for the students to share those stories.”
In the male competition, Underdale High and Pinnacle College will play off in the final on Friday night, while Australian Islamic College and Thomas Moore College will meet in the final of the girls’ competition.
The students that participate in the carnival and Grand Final will also all participate in a cultural performance on ground at Adelaide Oval that signifies the wave of migration in Australia.
