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Wollongong will become an unlikely venue for multicultural healing next week in a time of international uncertainty.
It wasn’t intended to be, but events far removed from the football pitch have added an extra dimension to an Asian Cup friendly game.
Iran arrive at WIN Stadium on January 4 as FIFA’s highest-ranked Asian nation at 51, ahead of tournament favourites Japan, three places lower.
The nation which dashed the Socceroos’ World Cup hopes in 1997 will tackle Middle-Eastern neighbours Iraq.
Of course, Australia’s World Cup curse has since been broken by a golden generation which produced a nerve-shredding John Aloisi penalty and Tim Cahill wonder goals.
Hosting the Asian Cup is another important step for Australia, after the Socceroos made a third consecutive World Cup and the Western Sydney Wanderers took out the Asian Champions League.
The Iranians should be considered genuine tournament contenders after beating South Korea 1-0 in November and making the World Cup earlier this year.
They took just a point in Brazil — a draw against Nigeria — but still had the chance to qualify going into their final group game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Iraq are building a fine crop of next generation stars, finishing third at the under-20 World Cup in Turkey last year.
So highly regarded are the skills of Ali Adnan, he is referred to as Iraq’s answer to the Welsh Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale.
The friendly, and indeed the Asian Cup itself, comes as Australia is still reeling from the Martin Place siege carried out by the unhinged extremist Man Haron Monis, who claimed to be working as an agent of Islamic State.
It has since emerged that Iranian police had asked Australian authorities to have Monis extradited for violent and fraud-related offences he was said to have committed before he fled Iran with an assumed name and in disguise in 1996. He was granted refugee status in Australia in 2001.
The rise of Islamic State – and the deluded actions of Monis – has led to unease in the community.
This week it led Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to say there has been a ‘‘heightened level of terror chatter’’ after the Sydney siege, but he has resisted raising the terrorism threat level from extreme.
It has also sparked fear among the Muslim community, concerned about the predictably ignorant shrieking emerging over Australia’s attitudes on immigration and multiculturalism.
The #illridewithyou campaign in support of Muslims on their daily commute on the Sydney public transport network was hijacked as a political football by some commentators across different mediums.
But at its heart, it offered the best of the human spirit, an Australian value of being able to live in peace and maintain cultural respect.
On the day the Martin Place siege came to its terrible conclusion, this columnist was walking home and was waiting at the traffic lights standing next to a woman wearing a hijab or chador.
In her early 20s, she was with her young son in a stroller and clearly wary of her surroundings.
She carried a visible unease, as if she was concerned that her child might be subjected to an ignorant racist comment from someone around her.
The #illridewithyou, or #illwalkwithyou sentiment should hopefully have made her and thousands of others more at ease.
Some will claim such a terrible crime and tragedy should not be linked to the upcoming celebration of football.
To draw the connection with football, there were stories and photos earlier this year of Adnan in a bulletproof vest in support of the Iraqi army in their fight against Islamic State.
And sport has the power to unite.
After the annual Christian Christmas celebrations offer Australians a chance to relax and enjoy time in the sun with their families and friends, the Asian Cup is an opportunity to offer a public gesture of cross-cultural friendship.
Football is proactive, if at times a little flawed, in trying to stamp out racism across the globe, as seen by the Kick It Out and No Racism campaigns.
Inviting Iran and Iraq to WIN Stadium is an opportunity for those of all faiths — and those of none — and the Illawarra region to stand together and declare their abhorrence for extremism and ignorance, while also celebrating footballing talent.