Finding Peace: From Afghanistan to Sweden

 Yousef, Sweden

My name is Yousef, I was born in Afghanistan and I am 21 years old. I have been living in Sweden for five years now. When I was very young, I was very interested in football and I always played on the ground without shoes, without football clothes, with normal clothes, with my friends and comrades. Even if I was tired and in pain, I still wanted to play again the next day. 

Who is in these photos? What is their story?

In these photos are Swedish boys and girls and my friends, who are refugees from different ethnic groups within Afghanistan. Football made us recognize there are no borders between us despite different backgrounds. We are close friends. Some days we play football together. It is a lot of fun for me.

I think, for football, gender does not matter. Girl or boy, anyone can play. I took photos of Swedish girls and boys on a cold and snowy day. The cold and snowy weather did not stop them from playing. They continued to practice and play. The older boys are my friends and they, like me, have a special interest in football. We play football together and enjoy football. Everyone has different stories, but with football that makes no difference, not even age matters. Everyone can participate. 

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there a broader meaning to the photos?

The photos were taken in Hudiksvall, Sweden in the spring of 2020 (when corona arrived). I wanted to show boys and girls practicing together at the same time. Even if the climate is bad, they still have the same passion and both boys and girls can practice together. My goal was to show unity and empathy in a community. In my opinion, a girl and a boy playing together in bad weather and snow shows the love and interest in football is allowed and a possibility for both genders. I never saw that before I came to Sweden. 

Can you tell us your personal story?

When I was in Afghanistan, a lot of things were not good for me. We often did not have footballs or football uniforms and the security of the surroundings were never safe.  Sometimes I felt worried that maybe someone who had a football would not include me in the game. After school or before school, the person with the ball decided who should play and who should not play. But I always tried to play and participate.

The balls were not good, they were very old and damaged. Once I found a broken football in the garbage which I fixed with a tyre from a bicycle. I took the ball to my school; I was always building a team for fun during school breaks and playing with my classmates.

After the game, I was always very tired and had sweaty clothes, but then I entered the classroom and continued my lessons. It was really very important for me to play and have fun, because so many things in Afghanistan are scary and you feel like you always have to look over your shoulder. But when I played football I could laugh and have fun and forget about other hardships.

I left Afghanistan because of personal animosity and enmity, my life was in danger and I was restricted several times by my father's enemy. This caused me to leave my country. 

Can you tell us another person's personal story in the photos?

Not everyone's life situation and story are the same. Unfortunately, I do not know much about their personal story, but I feel that football helped me find new and good friends.

The football teams were training on the football field. The boys were playing together in a corner of the field in cold weather. This symbol of friendship shows love and affection for football, no matter what. In my opinion, football will make their friendship stronger in the future. Maybe in the future this image will remind them how happy they were while playing despite the simple clothes and shoes and the cold weather.

Why is football important to you and your community?

From my point of view, soccer is a sport of entertainment that is a model of peace and kindness in the hearts of various communities and humans and is boundless. Football is a good sport and a symbol of national unity between races and nations – and makes a country and a society happy. I think football is very important and very popular in the world right now.

Do you play football with any Swedes now? How do you find the Swedish people?

When I came to Sweden, I played football for several teams and I still play. In Sweden, there are many kind people who are friendly to immigrants. It is a country of democracy and living here I feel peace and security. I am very happy to live here. I came to Sweden because it was no longer possible for me to live in my own country.

After a short time, I started playing football. My Swedish family was very supportive and encouraged me, making sure I was practicing correctly, following the rules and discipline of the game.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I have no special ambitions. I want to have a quiet life without stress.  I want to find a good job and I want to help the community where I live or somewhere else in the future. There are so many people in the world that aren’t that fortunate to live a safe life.