They hope the Relegating Racism Together project will help Sunderland become a more tolerant and multicultural city.

Quinn and the Arsenal-supporting minister led by example by putting their sporting differences aside before their teams clash tomorrow.

Speaking at the launch event at the Stadium of Light yesterday, Quinn said football was a great way to get an important message across, and that as a prominent figure in the city the club needed to do its bit.

"Football has a powerful, compelling draw and we try and use that as best we can in getting the message out to children that there's certain pathways they need to take, and there's certain things they need to learn at this age which will stand them in good stead for life," he said.

He added that SAFC games are broadcast to more than 200 countries each week, which puts Sunderland on the international stage – as does the number of overseas players in the squad.

"We have players from Trinidad and Tobago, a lot from Ireland. One from Newcastle – Michael Chopra. Does that count as overseas?" he joked.

Quinn said it was just as important to encourage multiculturalism and the benefits migrants bring to Wearside as it was to stamp out racism.

In recent years, diversity in Sunderland has changed dramatically due to inward migration from overseas, with more and more economic migrants and international students being attracted to work and study in the city.

Mr Miliband, whose parents came from immigrant families, said it was important for Wearside and the UK to embrace multiculturalism and build links with every country, city and region in the world.

He said football was a great way of getting that message across.

"I think the most important thing about football people is that they measure if people are popular are not with what people can do with their feet and their brains and not what colour they are," said the South Shields MP.

"I think the good thing is that on Saturday – or this weekend on Sunday – at three o'clock, skill doesn't discriminate according to race or religion or which region of the world that you come from.

"People appreciate real skill and I think there's a great, important message in that for the rest of our society.

"Obviously it's important to be proud of our roots and our history, but also to be broad-minded and have open horizons about the future.

"If the Premiership is about anything, it's about Britain being a centre for the world to come and show what it's best at.

"And the world is best at co-operation and teamwork and I think that's a good message to come out of this conference and a good message for the future of Sunderland."

The Relegating Racism Together scheme was developed by the SAFC Foundation, the club's official charity, as part of its Football First project, which aims to challenge anti-social and racist behaviour in Sunderland.

Coun Bryan Charlton, responsible for regeneration and community cohesion on Sunderland City Council, said it was alarming that the British National Party had won 10 per cent of the vote in the council elections.

He said the party had come second in his own ward, and it was important that people who had concerns could work to tackle them rather than blame them on others.

Guests at the launch event included Thornhill School teacher Amer Sheik, whose anti-racism rap group The Word gave a performance after the speeches.