BELFAST CAMOGIE players have teamed up with a women's field hockey team for "Yes We Can", an EU-backed cross-community project.
Mossley Ladies Hockey Club, along with the St Enda's club from Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, and the Bredagh club from south Belfast, are working together to develop strong relations, despite their diverse backgrounds.
More than 30 young women from the clubs gathered at Belfast's Odyssey complex at the weekend, where local ice-hockey team the Belfast Giants played an exhibition match against one of the biggest teams in the sport, the Boston Bruins.
They were joined by US consul general Kamala Lakhdhir, who offered her support for the joint venture. "This is an exciting project that will make a real and lasting difference to the individuals, clubs and communities involved," she said.
"I have enjoyed meeting with the girls tremendously and hope to follow them throughout the rest of their project and support them where I can. I look forward to watching them play."
The project involves young women learning about other sports and cultures and hopes to foster and develop better links between sports clubs from different backgrounds. It is funded by the EU's Peace III programme. Central to the project is the opportunity to explore issues around diversity and difference.
In addition to the Belfast Giants-Boston Bruins game at the weekend, participants have attended the All-Ireland camogie finals at Croke Park.
Speaking after the ice-hockey game, Ms Lakhdhir stressed the wider relevance of the Belfast Giants to the project beyond the sporting connection.
"Belfast Giants were an early symbol of a city that was emerging confidently from the conflict that had affected its past," she said. "By participating in projects such as this, young women are able to reinforce the progress that has been made towards a peaceful society and develop the skills and confidence necessary to become future leaders for their communities."