Football On The Outside
Loukas, Greece
Loukas, 13, is from the Roma community and lives in Ano Liosia, Greece. He plays football with The Petalouda Center. The Roma Community is the largest ethnic minority in Europe (10-12 million) and it is currently estimated to be between 200,000 and 350,000 people in Greece, suffering social exclusion, discrimination, exclusion from education, and wide-ranging poverty.
The Petalouda Center, run by Hellenic Ministries, is an educational community center which serves the Roma community of Ano Liosia, not too far from downtown Athens. The Petalouda Center seeks to improve the quality of life of the Roma community through education and personal development, with programs including Greek classes, mathematics, creative arts, and sports.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football life?
My name is Loukas and I am 13 years old. I was born and raised in Greece. We are from the Roma community and live in a settlement in the region of Ano Liosia (the suburbs of Athens). I enjoy playing football with my friends. It helps to keep me active. I have been playing football since I was 8 but not in any teams, just in my neighbourhood with my friends and at the community centre.
Who is in the photos? Where were the photos taken?
The children that go to the community centre who are also my friends. At the centre they help us read and write, and we also have fun activities like football. The photos were taken in the sports court near the community centre.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
We are not an organised team. But the people in the photos usually fight a lot, and playing football helps us to be more united. We still fight when we play, but then we see our differences and we slowly learn to accept them. I tried to show our joy and friendship, how messy we can be, but also how much we have fun together.
What role does football play in Greek and Roma society?
Sports in general and athletics events have always been important in our culture. Football is the main sport in Greece. Roma people are often discriminated against, and football is a great way to overcome our differences. I come from a mixed ethnic background and football is quite important in the Greek culture. By playing football with Greeks that are non-Roma we can gain respect from them.
What does football mean to you?
It gives me joy and helps me to be closer to my friends. It is a healthy way to spend our time together.
What are your ambitions?
I don’t know what I would like to be in the future as I only started to go to school recently and I have time to figure it out.
