United By Football
Bahram Mia, Australia
Football United is a University of New South Wales program that supports young people through regular, free and accessible football, and builds pathways for young people through leadership and coaching. The Football United program operates in Myanmar and in Australia - particularly in communities with high numbers of refugee families from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, DRC, and Sudan. Bahram Mia has been a coach with Football United for five years.
Can you tell us your personal story?
My name is Bahram Mia. I was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, the son of Afghan refugees as a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. I came to Australia with my parents and three brothers when I was 7 years old, and grew up here in Sydney, where I have graduated from university and work as a community development worker with migrant and refugee communities. I only started playing football after I arrived in Australia. In Pakistan, cricket was the national sport and what we gravitated towards. I was a football coach for five years with Football United.
I am also a freelance photographer and filmmaker, focusing on telling local stories of local communities, organisations and individuals, including projects with the African Cup NSW. In the future I want to use my skill sets to tell stories and advocate about issues I'm passionate about.
Who is in these photos? Where were the photos taken?
These photos were taken at Progress Park in Auburn, situated in the heart of Western Sydney, one of the most diverse and multicultural suburbs in all of Australia.
They feature players from Team Mali and Team Congo during their quarter final clash as part of the African Cup tournament in 2018. The African Nations Sports Association (ANSA) African Cup NSW is a football competition contested by teams made up of players from the African diaspora in Australia.
A celebration of African heritage, the tournament is played in NSW every year and has been running since 1999. The current format of the tournament involves 20 teams competing over 9 weeks for the title, bringing together people from diverse cultural, racial, religious and economic backgrounds. Many players were Football United participants when they attended High School.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
I tried to convey the pride, passion and intensity which these young African men hold not only towards the African Cup tournament, but also representing their homelands. I also tried to show how they use football to instill that same passion in the younger generation, using sports as a tool to teach culture and heritage.
Why did you leave your country?
My parents left our homeland of Afghanistan due to the Soviet invasion, arriving in Pakistan as refugees. They decided to migrate to Australia from there in search of a better life for their children.
Why is football important to you and your community?
When utilised properly, football and sport in general, is a life skills builder. It teaches those who play it communication skills, teamwork, and respect, it builds self-esteem and ultimately brings people and communities together through a common language and passion.
Do you play football now with any Australian people? How do you find the Australian people?
I have played football with people from all backgrounds and walks of life. It has given me the opportunity to learn about other cultures, food, languages, music and much more. I have found that people are all essentially human, that commonalities outstrip differences.
