The voluntary sports organisation, Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) yesterday launched its programme for the biggest multi-cultural soccer tournament yet held in this country.
The 2004 SARI Multi-cultural Soccerfest will involve 32 multi-cultural teams with players from a variety of backgrounds.
According to Mr Frank Buckley, the founder and co-ordinator of SARI, the aim of the multi-cultural festival is to promote integration and understanding through sport.
"SARI are trying to encourage local groups around the country to see this as a project to take on to embrace multi-culturalism within their own communities," said Mr Buckley.
"It works so well. It breaks down all the barriers of religion, language and colour through the common language of soccer and the tournament is a great family day out."
This year's tournament features a large number of teams from outside Dublin, including sides from Galway, Ennis, and Limerick.
Other organisations sponsoring teams this year include the Garda Immigration Bureau, Amnesty International and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.
The weekend soccer tournament will also involve entertainment, including world music by the Masamba drummers, as well as ethnic and local food stalls.
The children's entertainment includes face-painting and go-karting.
The tournament will be held in the sports grounds of St Brendan's Hospital, Grangegorman, on the 18th and 19th of this month.