MSCNI MSCNI

🎉 SPORTSMANIA FEST 2026! 🎉

Sunday 2 August
🕑 2PM–8PM (Football Finals from 10AM)
📍 Blanchflower Stadium, Belfast
⚽ Football Finals
🎵 Live Music
🍔 Food & Drinks
🏰 Kids' Zone & Bouncy Castles
🎨 Face Painting
🏸 Multi-Sports
🌍 Cultural Displays
🤝 Community Stalls.

A FREE family fun day celebrating sport, culture and community. Everyone is welcome!

📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer to register and bring your family and friends!

ICIP FamilyFun Community Football Culture SportForAll

Thank you, Belfast Telegraph, for taking the time to attend and cover the official launch of the Change Cup 2026 & Africa Cultural Festival. We truly appreciate your support in highlighting the positive impact of this important initiative.

The programme is funded through PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), as part of the €2.9 million Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme (ICIP). It is delivered in partnership by North West Migrants Forum (Lead Partner), Multi-Ethnic Sports & Cultures NI (MSCNI), Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), Rural Community Network (RCN), and Donegal Intercultural Partnership.

The event was officially launched by Cheryl Lamont CBE DL representing HM Lord Lieutenant Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE DStJ DDL..

A big thank-you to Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission team led by Michael Boyd OBE.

A special thank you to the Irish Football Association for hosting us in the magnificent Pat Jennings Lounge and for their continued support of inclusive football and community engagement.

Thank you for helping us share the message that sport and culture can break down barriers, celebrate diversity, and build stronger, more inclusive communities across Northern Ireland and Ireland. We look forward to sharing many more inspiring stories over the coming weeks. ⚽🌍🤝

Watch this video: Multicultural sporting event launch at Windsor Park aiming to ‘bring people together’ https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/video/multicultural-sporting-event-launch-at-windsor-park-aiming-to-bring-people-together/a/159179616.html

CommunityCohesion Peacebuilding

We are pleased to have collected a new laptop from the Department of Finance following MSCNI’s successful application to the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

We learned about this opportunity through the NICVA website and applied to strengthen our organisation’s digital capacity and improve the support we provide to our diverse communities.

We sincerely thank the Department of Finance for this valuable investment and NICVA for continuing to share important opportunities with voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland.

💻💻💻💻💻
We are pleased to have collected a new laptop from the Department for Communities following MSCNI’s successful application to the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

We learned about this opportunity through the NICVA website and applied to strengthen our organisation’s digital capacity and improve the support we provide to our diverse communities.

We sincerely thank the Department for Communities for this valuable investment and NICVA for continuing to share important opportunities with voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland.

DepartmentForCommunities

🌊 Beach day = Success! ☀️💙
Our MSCNI Youth Club children and families had an amazing day at Portrush Beach! 🏖️
There were smiles, games, laughter, fresh sea air, and plenty of unforgettable memories. It was wonderful to see children, parents, and volunteers enjoying quality time together and celebrating the joy of community.

A big thank you to our fantastic volunteers and everyone who helped make the day so special. ❤️

Community Inclusion Wellbeing MakingMemories NorthernIreland

🏆 What an unforgettable weekend! ⚽❤️
The MSCNI Change Cup 2026 has come to a successful close!
Today's programme included:
🤝 Reconciliation
✊ Anti-Racism
💚 Mental Health
⚽ Change Cup Tournament
🏆 Champions: Sudan 🇸🇩 NI
🥈 Runners-up: India 🇮🇳 Community

Over 150 participants from diverse religious, community and ethnic backgrounds came together over two nights to learn, compete, connect and celebrate diversity through football.
A huge thank you to:
🏡 Queen's Accommodation
⚽ Newforge Sports Complex
🙌 Our staff, volunteers, referees, supporters and every participating team.
Most importantly, thank you to PEACEPLUS, administered by SEUPB, for funding the Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme (ICIP).

🚀 Next stop... Youth Change Cup!
📅 31 July – 2 August 2026
👥 Ages 14–17

🎉 Finishing with Sportsmania Fest 2026
⚽ Youth clubs and local football teams can still register their interest.
⏳ Deadline: 21 July
📧 [email protected]
Football • Culture • Unity • Change

PEACEPLUS SEUPB FootballForChange PeaceBuilding AntiRacism MentalHealth Community Inclusion

⚽ MSCNI Change Cup 2026 is officially underway!

Today marked an exciting start to the MSCNI Change Cup, delivered as part of the Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme (ICIP), funded by PEACEPLUS and administered by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Our journey began with participant registration, followed by inspiring workshops that set the tone for the weekend:

🤝🤝Peace Building Workshop delivered by Brian Armstrong

💚 Mental Health & Wellbeing Workshop delivered by Mr Lekan Okiki Abas from Better Life Talking Therapy.

These sessions equipped everyone with the mindset to compete with respect, build friendships, and embrace diversity.

The day continued with friendly welcome matches at Newforge Sports Complex, giving participants the opportunity to get to know one another before the competition begins. We then welcomed and accommodated participants travelling from the Republic of Ireland, Derry/Londonderry and Letterkenny at Queen's Accommodation, highlighting the true cross-border spirit of the programme.

Tomorrow we continue with:
✅ Good Relations Workshops
⚽ Change Cup Group Stage Matches
🤝 More opportunities to build lasting friendships and stronger communities.

A heartfelt thank you to PEACEPLUS for investing in communities and making this incredible Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme possible. Together, we are using sport as a powerful tool to promote peace, inclusion, understanding and lasting relationships across our communities.

PeaceBuilding GoodRelations MentalHealth FootballForChange CrossBorder Inclusion UnityThroughSport CommunityDevelopment

⚽🎸🥁🤾🏻‍♀️🪇⚽🤼🏼🤹🏽

We are proud to deliver the MSCNI Change Cup 2026, a PEACEPLUS-funded Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme bringing communities together through sport and cultural engagement.

👉🏽 Adult: 17th – 19th July
👉🏽 Youth: 31st July – 2nd August
📍 Belfast, 2026, Derry/Londonderry 2027 & Donegal 2028

The programme promotes:

👉Sport, Identity and Belonging

👉Good relations and peacebuilding Workshops.

👉Anti-racism

👉Mental health

👉 Register via the QR code

The programme will culminate in the Sportsmania Fest Family Fun Day, a vibrant celebration featuring arts, music, food, and community engagement activities, bringing participants and families together in a shared space of unity.

Play Together | Learn Together | Change Together

CommunityDevelopment Inclusion SocialImpact SportsForGood

🏆 NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE UN YEAR OF VOLUNTEERING AWARDS 2026🏆

2026 has been designated as the UN Year of Volunteering for Sustainable Development.
To mark this significant year, Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons MLA will host a special awards ceremony recognising the individuals and organisations making a real difference across Northern Ireland.

Volunteers are at the heart of our communities. They bring people together, support those in need, and help create positive change every day.

Now is your chance to recognise the people, teams and organisations whose time, dedication and commitment are making a lasting impact.

📅 Nominations close: 30 September 2026
🏛️ Awards Ceremony: 3 December 2026
👉 Nominate today
🔗 UN Year of Volunteering Awards 2026 - Volunteer Now