News in 2006

14th September 2006

All for One Culture

Scouts from across the country are gearing up for the OneCulture international football festival which takes place later next month in Salford.

Teams are being invited from across the UK to show off their skills at The Football Association backed event, which will be held at the Salford Sports Village.

The festival, which is in its seventh year, has its roots in the North West and is the biggest of its kind in Europe and aims to break down cultural barriers and prejudices through football with teams from all faiths and backgrounds.

Majid Lavji, Founder and Director of OneCulture said:

"The Football Academy we have set up proves that sport is a great way to break down cultural barriers. We need to encourage people from all communities to get involved in football on and off the field as players, coaches or administrators. It’s vital that the game reflects a multicultural Britain."

"There are several players who have been discovered at the tournament who are now interesting Premiership clubs. This tournament is for everyone and we are also looking to develop the women’s side of the game."

For the last seven years the tournament, supported by the Government, has previously been held under the AsiaEurope banner but this year is rebranded as OneCulture to show how it has evolved and to reflect the diversity of those taking part."

Brian Barwick, Chief Executive of the Football Association, said:

"The FA fully supports the OneCulture festival and recognises the important role it plays in making the sport accessible to everyone. At the FA we strive to ensure that everyone has a chance to be involved in football, regardless of ability, race, religion or gender."

The event is backed by a number of Premiership Clubs and Alan Johnson, Everton FC’s Race and Diversity Manager, added:

"We have been working with AsiaEurope in recent years and support what it is trying to achieve. There is a huge pool of raw talent waiting to be discovered and it’s only by holding events like OneCulture that clubs can tap into it."

This year’s OneCulture is being held on 14 and 15 October at Salford Sports Village.

Teams interested in taking part or companies looking to sponsor the tournament should contact organisers on 0870 284 1111 or register online at www.AsiaEurope.com/football2006/.

The deadline for teams - under-eight, under-twelve, under-16, women’s open and men’s open - to register is 26 September.

Source: The FA