Common Ground – our game is for all

Celebrating the diverse cultures of Australia is embedded within the core values of the Carlton Football Club, and is reflected through its history.

This celebration continued on Sunday 22 July, as the Club hosted its inaugural ‘Common Ground’ game.

The ‘Common Ground’ game promoted ‘Our game is for all’, as football was used as a platform for encouraging cultural inclusion and addressing social isolation.

To mark the occasion, the Club invited 30 conferees to an open training session at Ikon Park on the eve of the game – the next day they were sworn in as citizens at a heart-felt ceremony on the field. Carlton Hall of Famer, Mil Hanna, who is also the first VFL/AFL player of Lebanese background, led the new citizens through their final affirmation ceremony. More than 30,000 fans watched on and were invited to join in.

After the ceremony, one conferee said: “It gives you a sense of belonging, being part of something important to the community”.

To read more about Common Ground, please click here.