With funding support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council and Pobal via EU Peace III and UEFA, the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs and the IFA’s Football For All Community Relations Department hosted a highly successful International Fans Seminar.

Fans groups from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Croatia, Germany, Denmark and Slovenia shared good practice and new ideas on how football fans can challenge sectarianism and bigotry, at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast on the 19th and 20th November.

DCAL Minister Nelson McCausland was a special guest at the event and he praised all concerned for their good work at the end of the first day on Friday saying, “The IFA’s partnership work with Fans via their Football For All campaign to tackle sectarianism is a great example of how sport can promote a shared and better future. This international seminar is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and everyone involved deserves real credit for showing bigotry the red card”.

IFA Head of Community Relations, Michael Boyd, added, “The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs deserve real credit for organising this excellent event and their ongoing efforts to promote Good Relations both at home and abroad. This International Fans Seminar was a tremendous success and the Fans and Staff who worked hard to make it happen are a credit to themselves and the sport of Football”.

Published 23/11/2010