The Brisbane Lions are set to celebrate the AFL’s Multicultural Round with a number of activities planned for Sunday’s crunch match against Melbourne at the Gabba.

A partnership with AFL Queensland and the Queensland African Communities Council will see 30 International Students from Griffith University’s AFL Multicultural Program hold their country’s flag aloft in a pre-match guard of honour, while Sharon Orapelend, President of the Council, will toss the coin.

It will be the culmination of what has been a week dedicated to recognising and celebrating the many diverse backgrounds that make up the participants and fans of AFL, echoed in its ‘Many Cultures. One Game. Australia’s Game’.

As part of the celebrations, Lions stars Brent Staker and Matthew Leuenberger took the Lions’ “Lion Hearted Leaders” Program earlier this week, a school-based education program based on leadership, to Milpera State School, a culturally diverse school attended by refugees and immigrants who do not speak English when they first arrive in Australia.

It followed the special guest appearance last Sunday by Bernie “Gabba” Vegas, the Club’s mascot, and giveaways at Brisbane’s World Refugee Day at Annerley Soccer Club.

In a huge show of support for the continuation of this important recognition, the Brisbane Lions have also partnered with AFLQ to deliver the AFL Multicultural Schools Programs which will be implemented in more than 300 schools across Australia during the second half of the year. This program will ensure more than 20,000 people from migrant families experience an AFL game and will come into contact with their own local football community.