Diversity and inclusion within the sporting world and beyond doesn’t have to be hard, according to social impact, sustainability and governance professional Rita Nehme.
She’s seen firsthand just how easy it can be for different groups of people and cultures to come together and celebrate one another as well as the clear benefits of this happening.
Last year, Nehme was part of the groundbreaking FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she worked as the Sustainability Manager of the Perth venue.
It was there that Nehme witnessed touching proof that even in competition, people from opposing teams will naturally lift one another up.
To set the scene– Morocco and Colombia had a match together where both teams had a chance to qualify to move forwards in the tournament. If Colombia won, they would have qualified and Morocco wouldn’t have. But, if Morocco won, then both teams could qualify.
Long story short, Morocco won, meaning there was “a post game situation where both teams had qualified,” says Nehme.
“What happened in the stadium was so beautiful. It was literally the Colombians shouting ‘Viva Morocco’ and the Moroccans just shouting and cheering for the Colombians.”
“They were all dancing together. They were all just sharing in this experience together,” she says.
What transpired in the stadium that day was a moving example of so many different cultures coming together to celebrate and share space, which Nehme believes can be a very natural and beautiful experience.
“That’s the nature of the world,” she says, adding that she doesn’t see this inclusive environment as a necessarily groundbreaking phenomenon, but the normalisation of it is so palpable.
“We need for this to just become part of how we do things, and how we approach the culture of organisations or communities or groups,” she says. “No matter how big or small– we just need to make it a norm rather than seeing diversity as something that is separate.”
It’s this lived experience at the intersection of sports and social change that Nehme applies to her everyday advocacy for culturally and linguistically diverse and LGBTQIA+ women in and through sport.
She’s currently the Head of Sustainability at Richmond Football Club and has worked on a range of social innovation, sustainability and sport initiatives in Australia, Lebanon, India, Jordan and the USA.
The Office for Women in Sport and Recreation selected Nehme to become a Change Our Game ambassador, alongside seven other inspiring women in this movement who are raising awareness on key issues in women’s sport.
Nehme is using the advocacy platform to support other women to fully contribute, participate and advance sport at all levels as decision-makers, administrators, spectators, players and business collaborators.
“I was extremely happy and very honoured,” says Nehme, “to be given a platform to champion women, specifically those from culturally diverse backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ backgrounds.”
As she works to drive change within this space, Nehme wants to see the inclusion of diverse people viewed as an “asset” to business organisations.
“Bringing in those skills, talents, resilience, strength– all these things that culturally and linguistically diverse women and LGBTQIA+ people bring to the table is an asset and is going to make our spaces and our environments better,” says Nehme.
“I think it’s beneficial for everyone,” she says. Basically, if you want a better community, a better organisation– including these voices, skills and experiences are just going to enrich our spaces.”
One caveat Nehme points out with this, however, is that she’s often seen diverse women be included in organisations only within “the diversity and inclusion space for the community team, not necessarily every aspect of the organisation”.
“What is really important,” she says, “is to have this embedded– including women and diverse women– at every level.”
Change Our Game Ambassadors are using their platforms to help drive change and raise awareness on key issues and barriers for women in sport. Change Our Game is led by the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation to level the playing field for women and girls. Be sure to follow the Ambassadors’ journeys through @ChangeOurGame on socials.