A CHARITY FOOTBALL tournament that was held in Limerick last weekend aimed to promote integration in Limerick’s large community of international language students.
The ‘Schools Competition Football Tournament’ was held at the Star Rovers FC grounds and featured students from English language schools around Limerick including Rightword Institute, Limerick Language Centre, NED College, and Student Campus.
The tournament aimed to bring together international students from across Limerick’s English language school communities to make friends from different countries and cultures.
Students attending language schools across the city and county come from all over the world, with an especially large contingent hailing from South and Latin American counties like Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Paraguay.
As well as the main event, the tournament also featured live music, prize giveaways, cultural performances, as well as foods from various international cuisines.
Gustavo Reginatto, one of the tournament’s organisers, said: “The Schools Competition Football Tournament is an exciting initiative that aims to bring together the diverse international student community here in Limerick.”
“We wanted to create a platform where students from different language schools could interact, bond over their shared passion for football, and celebrate their cultural backgrounds.
“It’s not just about the competition on the field, it’s also about fostering connections and understanding among students who come from all corners of the globe,” he said.
Attendees of the tournament were also invited to bring along 1kg of non-perishable food to donate to a local charity.
Speaking after the event, Gustavo said that the tournament helped raise over 100kg of food that will be donated to the Mid West Simon Community.
Gustavo said the event was “a great success,” with Student Campus, based on Patrick Street in Limerick City, coming out on top.
“The event was a great success, with over 200 students attending the tournament. We’re pleased to announce that the winning school was the Student Campus, triumphing in the final against NED College.”
The tournament was held as a way to get students from across the different language schools in Limerick involved in something community-driven and to help stave off the loneliness of being in a different country, away from friends and family.
“Many of these international students face challenges being away from their families and adapting to a new country. Recognising this, we decided to use football, a universally beloved sport, as a way to promote integration and foster friendships,” Gustavo explained.
