A celebration through cricket

With the support of Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria, the SportWest WE ARE AUSTRALIA festival is a primary school program that provides students with an opportunity to celebrate multiculturalism in Australia through sport.

 “Cricket is a game for all Australians,” Cricket Australia’s Participation and Growth Leader Rohan Obst said.

“In partnering SportWest in the delivery of this program, we get a chance to play cricket but also show that through the values of respect and fair play the game can also be made accessible to all Australians.”

Mother of God Primary School embodies the Harmony in Cricket mantra and the true multicultural spirit of Australia, with representation from 18 different cultural groups.

Throughout the day, students were involved in cricket activities led by Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit star Elyse Villiani, Cricket Victoria’s Waddington Mwayenga and young western suburbs Sudanese cricketer Akat Mayoum.

Students also held their own visual art and media exhibition as well as engaging in a food of the world lunch, where parents prepared traditional dishes.

At days end, students conducted a press conference and interviewed a panel including Villiani, Mwayenga and Mayoum.

The SportWest WE ARE AUSTRALIA program aims to show students how cultural barriers can be broken down through sport.

The program will continue to run early next year in primary schools throughout the west.