Dear Supporter; The Anti-Racism World Cup will take place again this year at Donegal Celtic FC in West Belfast from the 16th to the 18th of July. For the last three years teams have travelled from across the world to play against teams from various ethnic minority groups and from local communities in Belfast and across Ireland. Last years tournament involved over 500 local people and 100 international guests and was a showcase for Anti-Racism against a backdrop of an upsurge of racist attacks in Belfast. This year we intend to bring more teams to Belfast, including for the first time a Palestinian youth team, and we intend to make the tournament the largest anti-racist event in Ireland in 2010.
The Tournament and similar events, through bringing together people from different backgrounds, makes it harder for racists to fool people as to the real causes of the problems they face. Many of the young people from Belfast who play in the tournament are meeting and talking to political refugees such as those playing on the Congolese team for the very first time and it has had a lasting effect on many of them that they take back to their friends and families. The ARWC also tries to educate those attending about the Anti-Fascist tradition in Ireland and each year commemorates the Volunteers of The International Brigades who left Ireland to fight fascism in Spain. Our first Tournament was opened by International Brigade veteran the late Bob Doyle and again this years political lecture is on the life of Charlie Donnelly from Co Tyrone who fought and died with the International Brigade in Spain.
The ARWC gets no major funding and every year has to appeal to its supporters for money. This year as we hope to bring over a team from Palestine we are under even more pressure> > to raise money and all donations big and small are greatly appreciated. If you or your organistion can make a donation of just £10 or £20 please send it to ARWC 2D Upper Suffolk Road, Belfast BT11 9RH or lodge it to Anti Racist World Cup HSBC Belfast 40-10-50 account 70323349.
The Tournament and similar events, through bringing together people from different backgrounds, makes it harder for racists to fool people as to the real causes of the problems they face. Many of the young people from Belfast who play in the tournament are meeting and talking to political refugees such as those playing on the Congolese team for the very first time and it has had a lasting effect on many of them that they take back to their friends and families. The ARWC also tries to educate those attending about the Anti-Fascist tradition in Ireland and each year commemorates the Volunteers of The International Brigades who left Ireland to fight fascism in Spain. Our first Tournament was opened by International Brigade veteran the late Bob Doyle and again this years political lecture is on the life of Charlie Donnelly from Co Tyrone who fought and died with the International Brigade in Spain.
The ARWC gets no major funding and every year has to appeal to its supporters for money. This year as we hope to bring over a team from Palestine we are under even more pressure> > to raise money and all donations big and small are greatly appreciated. If you or your organistion can make a donation of just £10 or £20 please send it to ARWC 2D Upper Suffolk Road, Belfast BT11 9RH or lodge it to Anti Racist World Cup HSBC Belfast 40-10-50 account 70323349.Steve McCann ARWC
