While the row over illegal immigration here rumbles on, dividing public opinion, one Italian is doing his bit to break down prejudice using nothing more than a ball.
The man in question is Danilo Zennaro who runs the ‘Without Frontiers’ football tournament, an event which welcomes foreigners with open arms and was designed to integrate Romans with people of all races and religions.
As well as running the competition, Zennaro manages two teams consisting of refugees, mostly from Africa. The majority of these young men is homeless and live in care centres where they are allowed to stay for a short-term period.
They cling to the slim hope of obtaining a work permit but without sponsors the odds are stacked heavily against them. Many of them will be forced to leave the country.
Desperate they may be, but playing football several hours a week has provided them with a brief escape from reality, something Zennaro has tuned into.
”The tournament has given these lads the chance to express themselves on a level playing field where everyone is equal,” the 34-year-old coach said.
”During the day these boys are up against it, but out there on the pitch they feel free.
”Colour or religion does not enter into it; it’s not an issue here. That’s the beauty of football. It’s a universal language that has no barriers.”
Felix, one of Zennaro’s charges who arrived in Italy nine months ago after fleeing war-torn Liberia, said he wished the immigration authorities were as welcoming as the Without Frontiers set-up.
”I can look after myself but I can’t get a work permit — without one I am stuck here with no job and no future,” said the tenacious midfielder, who has had to leave his care centre and is looking for a place to stay.
Asked whether he ever wanted to return to Liberia, embroiled in near constant warfare for more than a decade, Felix replied: ”No way. I don’t care if I have to sleep on the street every day. I don’t ever want to go back there.”
Zennaro, who works for the Vatican’s inter-religious dialogue department, admitted his players have had a major impact on his own life.
”Look at me. I have a nice house, a car and I’m never short of anything to eat,” he said.
”These boys, they’ve got nothing. But look at their faces. Smiling all the time and joking. They carry it all off with such dignity it puts most people to shame. If we had a bit more of that the world would be a better place.”
Zennaro said working with the group had also made him aware of the things he previously took for granted.
”One night one of the team got hurt making a tackle and I took out some ice spray to take away the pain,” he recalled.
”Well most of them had never seen one before so they all started feigning injury just so they could get some treatment!”
Immigration is a sensitive issue in Italy, where the ruling government coalition, led by Silvio Berlusconi, includes right wing anti-immigration party the Northern League and the xenophobic National Alliance.
Last month Umberto Bossi, the Northern League’s firebrand leader and minister for reform, caused outrage by allegedly proposing the use of cannons to prevent immigrants from reaching Italy’s shores — comments he later denied making.
”There are two ways to apply a law: either our boats will confront the clandestine immigrants coming ashore… or you write in black and white that force must be used,” Bossi was quoted as saying in an interview with the Corriere della Sera newspaper. – Sapa-AFP