Happy Birthday Captain!

Today is a great day not just for the city of Milan, but also for the world of football. Forty years ago Javier Zanetti was born, the man whose name became the synonym of loyalty, humility and faith. During his long football career, he managed to reach the highest levels by conquering five trophies of the Italian Seria A, one Champions League Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup just to mention the most important ones. Javier is almost the last player who remained from the CL winner, superb team of Internazionale in 2009 and 2010, which is one of the many reasons why he represents a great asset for the black and blue fans. Thanks to his incredible devotion towards his club (he has been playing for Inter since he arrived to the old continent) he already wrote his name into the football legend’s history book. With all the shining victories and unforgettable battles behind his back he never forgot about his modesty and respectful behavior while earring himself the title of „Captain”. Undoubtedly, without his lead, Inter could have hardly reached those excellent results in the second half of the recent millennium’s first decade. 

However, there is one thing which should be underlined when we are talking about the legend’s career. Zanetti is not just an ever shining star of his profession but also the champion of life. His commitment to help the poor and disadvantaged children is a great example to follow. Almost twelve years ago Javier and his wife Paula gave rise to the P.U.P.I.  Foundation (which is the acronym for Por Un Piberió Integrado, but also his nickname) in order to help the children in one of the most deprived urban areas of Buenos Aires, called Lanús. With the set up of their social enterprise, the Zanettis created a unique space where socially disadvantaged kids receive care and education without which they might find themselves in an even more difficult situation. Following many years of efforts in the social field, he was also nominated as FIFA’s ambassador for the S.O.S Children’s Villages project in Argentina. A few years ago, for his moral behavior on and off the pitch, the captain received the Altropallone award from my receiving foundation. It’s a pity that I could not see him at that time.

To sum up, I am convinced that today’s doping fuelled and market interests governed shiny football world needs more people like Javier. Instead of praising extrovert, luxury addicted football clowns, we should better learn from his example to get close to the true values of sport and life.

Captain, happy birthday and good luck on and off the pitch! 

 

10.08.2013, Milan

About the changelessness in this country

Almost three years ago when I arrived to Italy as an incoming Erasmus student I was astonished by Verona’s charming beauty and the multiculturalism of its certain districts. I never expected that those five months would become such a decisive period of my life and honestly, I never thought that I would learn that much from people from other cultural backgrounds. Sharing a flat with some Arabian students at the university residence was a turning point which opened my eyes for a diverse understanding of the world. Driven by the experience gained in Verona, I wrote my thesis on Italy’s Muslim community and their struggle for recognition. In that paper I strived to depict the new Italian reality, the recent changes of its society but also the difficulties of the so called new Italians, their social exclusion and the discriminatory acts against them. 

As I ever wanted to return to Italy I capitalized on the chance given by the European Voluntary Sevice (EVS) and two years later I re-entered to the Italian soil. This time I found myself in the financial and industrial capital of Lombardy, the rainy-greyish, multicultural Milan where I am assisting the work of a sport-related association primarily dealing with immigrants. Nevertheless, two years passed since my first Italian experience, many of the things did not change in this country and there are even some which seemingly worsened. The manifestations of racism and excluding attitudes did not vanish from the political/public discourse and after the first black Italian minister, Cècile Kyenge, stepped into the scene these seem to became even more explicit and common.

These days the case of Calderoli and Kyenge gets the main attention in the Italian media, as the vice-president of the Italian Senate, the Lega Nord member Roberto Calderoli  paralleled Mrs. Kyenge to an orang-utan. According to the vice-president his statement was only a little joke and it does not have to do anything with racism. Though many public figures called him to step back from his position, sticking to his opinion he did not even thought of resigning. In relation to this case, up to this date nothing happened apart from a dishonest apologise. No resignation, no sanctions from the Senate, no real consequences. And this is what represents the best the changelessness of the things in this country. Despite of the slow progress in the field of social inclusion the general attitudes towards the new Italians continue to be based on the same old prejudices. In this changelessness the role of leading politicians is unquestionable: it would be a mistake to think that they are not in position to shape the general attitudes towards ethnic/religious minorities. Unfortunately, it’s always those with less intellectual capacity and sense of responsibility whose words can attract bigger public attention.

Looking at the happenings from a broader prospect, there’s one thing that every European has to keep in his/her mind. This is the fact that the world around us is changing way too fast and it’s never enough to emphasize that this century will pose some serious challenges for the old continent and those ones who are unable to adopt will face serious difficulties. While some European countries with opened societies of an inclusive attitude (some say they are even too opened) are on the way to easily adopt to these new challenges, others unfortunately are lagging behind. In this regard the Southern and Eastern part of the continent can be paralleled where many of the citizens are still inclined to prejudices or even racially discriminatory attitudes. In the dawn of the 21th century, neglecting the progress of a rapdily changing world, not being able to accept the new realties and sticking to eroded, conservative attitudes are just as backward as completely forgetting about the tradition and the roots of a culture. And in the roots of the European tradition the concept of 'Libertè, Egalitè, Fraternitè' prevails, just in the contrary to the recent manifestations of racism and exclusion. 

Summer memories: Antiracist World Cup - XVII Edition

Have you ever had the feeling of an overwhelming desire to return to a festival just after you have left the scene? Well, if your answer is not, it probably means that you haven’t found your ideal festival yet. Now, after the Antiracist World Cup /Mondiali Antirazzisti/ which took place in the vicinity of Castelfranco Emilia in Emilia Romagna region, I can definitely say I have already found mine, even if its musical profile does not entirely match with my taste.

 

For the first sight, the Antiracist World Cup might seem to be an international sport event, however it’s much more than it, as it also includes a free music festival.  For a few amazing days, sport lovers -players and fans all together- from all over the world gather in the name of antiracism, antifascism and antisexism in order to share this unique experience. While some kind of weird mixed smell of football fan’s pyrotechnics and weed spreads all over the camp’s area, people of diverse origin interact in different ways. They play numerous kinds of games, they sing, they drink, they dance and...you know the rest. From time to time the ultras start chanting the well-known rhythms of „Siamo tutti antifascisti” /We are all antifascists/ after what, some volunteer DJ’s at the bar put on the anthem of Italian partisans, the famous „Bella Ciao”. And in fact, at the Mondiali Antirazzisti, you have a feeling that you are surrounded by a huge group of partisans who did not put down their weapons to continue fighting for a world without fascism and racial hatred. Not surprisingly, leftist ideas shape the attitude of this event where the principle of equality prevails. Thanks to all of its characteristics, the Antiracist World Cup does not align with other regular sport events.  As a matter of fact, it’s a monumental protest against all form of social discrimination, could it be on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender.

As the profile of our foundation in Milan and the message of the Antiracist World Cup have many things in common, we decided to offer our volunteer work at the event. Sadly, the organizers (Unione Italiana Sport per Tutti and Progetto Ultra with the support of FARE network) have to cope with financial difficulties to realize this wonder, therefore they highly rely on volunteers in some fields of the organization and realization. Although not having much experience in the kitchen work, we contributed to the daily tasks of the main restaurant’s staff. As a great pleasure, we could work with four amazing girls, Giulia, Maisha, Sharon and Nicole who were always ready to smile, even during the hardest periods. Feeding more thousand participants was not an easy task, but at least I will always remember the Italian name of the tray: vassoio.

And what did we do apart from assisting the kitchen staff in their work?  Not surprisingly football, football and football (in case I did not oversleep) and all the other stuff what a fellow would do who goes to festivals. Beside the triangle of work, football and joy I also had the chance to listen to the words of Cécile Kyenge Kashetu, the first black minister of the Italian Republic who contributed to the debate in the topic of sport and citizenship. In this way, I not just gained memorable moments, but also extra knowledge on the field of the social aspects of sport that for some time past constitutes the centre of my interest.

Speaking for myself, this event turned out to be one of my greatest experiences so far. Hopefully this nice memory will provide me energy for the remaining days of the summer. If I have the chance, I will definitely return, no matter if I will work as a volunteer or participate as the leader of a future champion team. Thank you for all!

TR4ST kick-off meeting in Cremona

Last weekend we arrived to the next stop of our EVS experience. We participated in the kick-off meeting of the so called “TR4ST: The Rules for Sport Talents” project which aims to diffuse the real values of sport and to promote the principles of fair play and ethical behaviour among young Europeans. The meeting took place in the city of Cremona (the leading project partner) which was previously nominated as the “2013 European City of Sport”. During the three-day long event, it was my pleasure to represent the Hungarian Polgàr Foundation for Opportunities, while Paulo incorporated our hosting organization, the Altropallone Asd Onlus. Beside these entities, a Turkish NGO, the Barrier Free and Happy Life Association”, was also present with a delegation of three members from Ankara.

On the first day, by joining the participants of another European sport-related project, we had the chance to get known with diverse sport associations and its facilities located along the river Po. During one of the briefings we could also listen to the words of Cremona’s Paralympics champion, Daniele Signore. After all, in the end of this long day, we witnessed the official opening of the European Pepo Cup (a football tournament for disabled young people from all over Europe) which took place in the fabulous main square of the city. We were not just amazed by the scene and the greatness of the event, but also by some of the hostesses accompanying the teams.

On the second day the practical work began. After presenting our organizations and discussing the main elements of the project we summarized the initiative in front of the delegates of other European Cities of Sport and the mayor of the Cremona who spent his precious time with us during the lunch as well. Afterwards, we went on a short guided tour and popped in one of the famous violin-making workshops of the town (Cremona is also known for its traditional hand-made violins).

On Sunday we continued the work with the discussion of the topics regarding the project implementation. After the hopes and fears related to TR4ST were described by the participants, a schedule of almost two years was drafted. As the next major event in October, Polgàr Foundation will organize a seven-day long youth exchange in Budapest. In the frameworks of this event, an Education Lab and a football tournament (5 vs 5) will be organized. In order to make the whole TR4ST project more visible, we agreed on the ways of communication and promotion.

As a great closure of this kick-off meeting, we went to have lunch in one of the few kebab bars in Cremona where with the contribution of our beloved Turkish participants we consumed the biggest Kebab dish of our lives without even paying for it.

Not forgetting about my studies, now it’s time to return to Hungary. Hopefully, in a few days time, I will be one step closer to my MA degree. Laters ! 

French riviera for the weekend

The summer has just started. In the weekend me and the future president of the European Central Bank, "kedvesem" Antonio Bianchini, visited the most luckiest heartbreaker, "taureau français" László Feledi, who is on a mission in a youth camp just minutes away from Monaco. Hereby, I would like to thank him and his Turkish pal, Umut Incesu, for the amazing time. Now instead of unneccesary words let the pictures tell the story:

 

A European story of success on the day of Europe

63 years ago, 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman made one of the most important steps towards an utterly new form of European cooperation. Today, the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community is considered to be a crucial milestone of the humpy road leading to nowadays European Union. Although the lengthy story of the European integration process has seen many downturns, it significantly changed the modern economic, social and political landscape of the continent. The European model gave example to many other international cooperation in the world, however many of the achievements are being faded away in the shadow of the rapidly changing world and the recent economic crisis. May 9 is a great occasion not only to celebrate the concept of Europe, but to think about the prospects of  the continent and all the young European people who will shape its future.

The achievements and successes of the European Union are many, however there is one which definitely emerges from the line. This is the success story of the youth mobility programmes implemented by the European Commission. The boosting inter-communitarian commerce, the higher level of economic cooperation and rising GDP are all useless things without lasting results in the field of society. The concept of development also contains the advancement of the society which cannot be achieved without a greater level of social cohesion. In the case of Europe - which is formed by a huge variety of nations and languages - social cohesion occupies an even more important role. One of the greatest ideas of the former leaders of the EU was the creation of  programmes like Erasmus and EVS, without which, the greater level of European social cohesion would be an unrealistic dream.

In the time of a fierce global economic competition, Europe - without any doubts - needs unity and a higher level of understanding and collaboration. Europe’s social cohesion has always been on the Union’s agenda, however there is still a long way to go to accomplish the goals. On the way to achieve the common objectives, the new European youth will have a significant role. The Community and its citizens have invested an enormous amount of money into specific mobility programmes in order to take advantage of its benefits in the future. The prospective progress will be promoted by the new European youth who absorbed the main principles of tolerance, fraternity, and mutual understanding during their Erasmus or EVS time. As their time rapidly approaches, the new leaders of this old continent will definitely face harsh challenges with regard to several recent problems like the ageing of the society, the reform of welfare states, the sustainability of the economic development,  the reinforcing national interest and the emerging intolerance and racial hatred in some parts of Europe just to mention a few of them.  

As an ex-Erasmus student and a present EVS volunteer, I feel privileged that I could learn in a formal and non-formal way in the school of the European Union. “Once Erasmus, always Erasmus” – those ones who have ever participated an Erasmus exchange programme know what I am talking about. For more than 25 years several thousand young European students take the chance to study few months abroad. Young people from all over the continent come together to share their ideas, languages, costumes and whatever they can share, while making friendships (or even love) for a lifetime. For the majority of them the experience turns out to be unforgettable which leaves its mark on their lives. With the best semester of my uni career in Verona behind my back, I am only one of them. Now, I’m sitting here in the office of Via Angera in Milan where the other mobility program of the EU, the EVS led my way. Although not many young people know about this latter called the European Voluntary Service, it’s even a better chance to get known with another country while contributing to a social case. If you didn’t use any of this possibilities, now it’s your time to do it.

And what about the future of the above mentioned mobility programmes? Seemingly, the world economic crisis has only strengthened the faith of the European leaders who are destined to drive the community towards a higher level of integration. Starting with the commence of the next long term EU-budget (2014), the so called “Erasmus for All” programme will unite the advantages of the old time’s Erasmus and EVS. The “Erasmus for all”  strives to involve more European young people than before and it also has a special budget to increase the mobility in the field of sport. Despite the harsh financial circumstances, the Community invests even more money to continue its most successful story in order to pave the way for a higher level of social cohesion without which the real development of Europe is not obtainable. The words of Jose Manuel Barroso seem to be adequate in this relation: “More European Unity is the best answer to globalization” 

23rd African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival in Milan

If you keen on superhero movies or those ones with full of bloodshed and violence, this short post is definitely not for you…On the occasion of the 23^rd African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival in Milan, I can finally express what I think about the immense quantity of American rubbish which dominates nowadays media and affects the thinking of the majority of the society.

Not surprisingly, we still live in a world which is controlled by U.S. financial, economic and military interests, however the cultural influence of the States is proved to be the most evident and visible for us. Besides the fact that you can read these lines in English, simply just think about what do you need for a perfect night in a shopping mall, the new church of nowadays society, the oasis of consumption. The ingredients are the following: an extra hamburger in Mc Donald’s which is followed by a huge Popcorn and ice-cold Coca-Cola (oooh my good I will see my name in the bottles, I am so excited -_-) in the cinema, and of course a superhero movie during which the world is being saved by some idiot dressed in a crappy mask. This is the receipt of the perfect superficial satisfaction; you don’t even have to think about anything. It’s enough if you just open your eyes in front of the marvelous actions, explosions, high speed car chasing and enjoy the view of the massacre and bloodshed. 3D, 4D, 5D, HD you can get whatever you want in whatever stunning quality. And the story? If it’s the regular superhero movie, don’t worry the world will be saved (sooner or later, maybe in the next episode) while you can also taste the flavor of love which is made by an everyday human creature (preferably a supermodel, which represents the ‘average’ American women) and the world saver, handsome superhero. Fancy for an action movie? Then go and watch the 1234565. episode of Fast and Furious, but why not Die Hard for the X time? You can also get a nice piece of Tarantino during which the re-re-reloaded Kill Bill’s Kiddo, now in the form of an infuriated slave, Django walks and slaughters everyone who he meets on his way. Bang. That’s what you need…

While the cinema is being flooded with Ironman, Captain America and their mates, the real assets are hidden by the shadow of these crappy American mainstream movies. Have you ever though abut breaking out of the circle to watch a little bit different movie? A film with some kind of message that makes you think about some crucial issues of (your) life? A piece with a little less explosions, 3D effects and spectacle. No doubt, it can be American (yes there are a lot of ‘different’ American movies), European, Asian, African, Latin American etc. Just look for the real assets of the film industry, not for those ones which are created only for financial interests. You won’t regret it.

If You are in Milan, now You have the chance to see something different, don’t miss it:

http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/eng/