Htjaru Htjaru wanted to create a space for the thousands of refugees welcomed into Australia every year. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading Since moving to Wollongong in 2015, he had found many refugee celebrations were too formal, and left out the younger generations.
"We had one or two hours of speeches, a bit of food and that's it," he said. "I saw that there were not many young people taking part in these events." So he went about organising the Inaugural Refugee Indoor Football World Cup.
Soccer, Mr Htjaru says, is one of the best ways for people to interact without worrying about language barriers. "It's beautiful because I do not speak Arabic, but through football, we can communicate. "It's a language that we share, it's a universal language.
" Swipe through for more photos The tournament, hosted by the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) Wollongong office, is being played across two weekends at the University of Wollongong. The competition is primarily comprised of former refugees from four NSW cities - Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle and Coffs Harbour. They play friendly and inclusive matches.
The final games will be played on Sunday, June 30, and Mr Htjaru hopes to encourage the younger generation to interact with other communities. "We need to create a space for the young people, where all the young people can come in, interact and play soccer." More social, less competitive T.
