Triguboff builds connections through sport

Australia’s largest apartment developer, Harry Triguboff, is turning his attention to community cohesion, launching a new interfaith initiative designed to bring young Muslim and Jewish people together through their shared love of sport.

The program, “Connection Camp”, is a series of school holiday soccer camps aimed at building relationships between children from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds, at a formative age.

Conceived and funded by Triguboff and his Meriton Group, the initiative sees primary school-aged children participate in team-based activities – both on and off the field – in a safe and inclusive environment.

Delivered in partnership with the Wests Tigers NRL club and the Western Sydney Wanderers A-League Club, the program is designed to build confidence, cooperation and mutual respect.

Camps will be held each NSW school holiday period, with an initial intake of 100 children, with demand already significantly exceeding available spaces.

The first Connection Camp was held on April 13 and 14 at the Wests Tigers Centre of Excellence at Concord Oval, where Triguboff said at the opening, “This program was initiated after the terror attack Bondi last December.

“If children from different backgrounds grow up knowing each other, understanding each other, and playing together, they will carry that respect into adulthood.

“Sport brings people together like nothing else. It is shared by the people, and it helps break down barriers.”

Wanderers players Dylan Scicluna and Anthony Pantazopoulos spent time with the kids and helped lead football skills drills, and they were joined by Wests Tigers players Fonua Pole and Sione Fainu who signed autographs for, and chatted with, the participants.

Women’s players from both clubs also spent time with the kids during the sessions, and presented participation certificates at the end of the last day.

Off-field camp activities included a delicious kosher and halal lunch, and group ice-breaking and discussion sessions based on activities arranged and guided by philanthropic adviser from the Jewish community Lisa Pillemer, and Islamic College of Sport principal Osman Karolia.

The camp was organised by Kevin Kalinko, Liverpool FC’s International Academy’s Australian scout, at Triguboff’s request, and was also made possible with camp partners Maccabi Australia and Liverpool City Council.

Also present at the camp’s launch were dignitaries including Maccabi Australia general manager David Goldman and president Rod Rosmarin, Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun – whose young daughter was a participant – Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson, Wests Tigers chair Barry O’Farrell and interim CEO Shaun Mielekamp.

Goldman reflected how the camp was “a wonderful opportunity for kids of different faiths to come together – especially in a time that we’re in right now – to play under the banner of sport, which is a unifier”.

Participant Remy Placks said, “I think it’s good that we’re sharing our backgrounds, from all places, together by playing soccer.”

Kalinko told The AJN that he had received a call from Triguboff who outlined his idea, “and the next thing I know, we were discussing how it would work”.

“Harry said he really wanted Jewish and Muslim kids to spend time together, on and off the football field, because there is more that unites us all than divides us,” Kalinko said.

“The first Connection Camp was really well-received, the kids had so much fun together, and there were many examples of genuine friendships being made.

“At the end of the camp, I saw a beautiful thing – Jewish and Muslim girls hugging each other when it was time to say farewell.”