Skateboarding in Afghanistan | Oliver Percovich | TEDxSydney

Oliver Percovich first skated in an empty pool at the age of six, while growing up in Papua New Guinea. In 2007 Oliver moved to Afghanistan from Australia when his girlfriend took a job in Kabul.
Bored, he would skate the beleaguered city, and became a sort of pied half-piper, attracting street kids that would follow him around and ask for rides. Shortly after, Oliver founded Skateistan, a grassroots 'Sport for Development' project on the streets of Kabul.
Today, Skateistan is now an award-winning international organisation with projects in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. The organisation is the first international development initiative to combine skateboarding with educational outcomes. Skateistan is non-political, independent, and inclusive of all ethnicities, religions and social backgrounds, offering both skating and general education classes for over 1000 boys and girls each week.
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Пікірлер: 33

  • @Breaker197
    @Breaker19710 жыл бұрын

    I always maintained that skateboarding had a unifying power to it. This is the best thing I've seen all week. Proves skating is more than just vandalism.

  • @Skatepakistan

    @Skatepakistan

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah so true dude👌

  • @freelyexpressed2212
    @freelyexpressed22129 жыл бұрын

    Simple yet Powerful. Skateboarding is transforming the lives of girls in a country like Afghanistan who could have imagined that. Billions of dollars have been flushed into war ravaged country but simple idea of skateboarding is the real gateway to prosperity for this country. Oliver Percovich we need more people like you.

  • @solokhan9563
    @solokhan95635 жыл бұрын

    Golden words bro... I hope my country Afghanistan 🇦🇫 will be developed soon...

  • @playbookshowme484

    @playbookshowme484

    2 жыл бұрын

    40% is a huge number and only great things can eventually come of it.

  • @RafaelWehrP
    @RafaelWehrP10 жыл бұрын

    no words can describe the felling in seeing such thing...

  • @chrongen13
    @chrongen138 жыл бұрын

    this is great and I hope it develops further!!!

  • @gbasharmal6452
    @gbasharmal64525 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much you've done alot, may God reward you hundred times more, for sharing something that you love, and we love you back, and thank you. L💖VE AND PEACE FROM AFGHANISTAN🇦🇫

  • @SumonElse
    @SumonElse10 жыл бұрын

    It's amazing to see how much good something so simple can do for people who just need a way to freely express themselves, skating in the states is demonized a lot because it's seen as a form of rebellion but sometimes that's exactly what makes it so beautiful. These are the things that slowly create massive social change and connect different cultures together into a peaceful middle ground were we can learn about and come to respect one another. This guy has done more good than many may realize with nothing more and some wood with wheels on it, this goes to show how little we really need to change the world. Thanks.

  • @Miladmmmm
    @Miladmmmm7 жыл бұрын

    thanks a lot it was a great job. wish u all the best Afghanistan my lovely country which will always be alive.

  • @DavidLKraft1
    @DavidLKraft110 жыл бұрын

    Oliver thank you

  • @missfarahi48
    @missfarahi482 жыл бұрын

    I was searching for skateboard videos on KZread and I saw this video and i say that if 40% of skateboards are played by girls in Afghanistan, but I have never tried it once, but I enjoy watching skateboard movements and I love skateboards. Pray for my country. We are in a bad situation 😔🇦🇫🇦🇫 that we can achieve our dream.

  • @monilangeKootenays
    @monilangeKootenays8 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant talk. Inspirational because the smallest, most innocent interests can help people break free and live a more natural life.

  • @ChristopherJManess
    @ChristopherJManess10 жыл бұрын

    This is amazing!

  • @ddaanniieellkk1
    @ddaanniieellkk110 жыл бұрын

    What kind of person down votes this video?

  • @NxL1T3x
    @NxL1T3x4 жыл бұрын

    I hope we see pro skateboarders representing Afghanistan a few years from now

  • @Jay_Flippen
    @Jay_Flippen7 жыл бұрын

    8:06 I'd probably end up eating pavement trying to do that. I never honed any vert skills growing up skateboarding.

  • @sj9529
    @sj95297 жыл бұрын

    that was amazing

  • @aslivelieceoglu9448
    @aslivelieceoglu94483 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful!

  • @ekram977
    @ekram97710 жыл бұрын

    good job, very well done

  • @pekc123
    @pekc1238 жыл бұрын

    skate es paz libertad amor

  • @raggasonicoTHC
    @raggasonicoTHC8 жыл бұрын

    good job !

  • @sehrgrossesglied5000
    @sehrgrossesglied50004 жыл бұрын

    this is epic

  • @attanariez
    @attanariez9 жыл бұрын

    Respect!

  • @theophine11
    @theophine112 жыл бұрын

    Are you still there in Afghan?

  • @jasonpell5679
    @jasonpell56794 жыл бұрын

    Anyone know why this video is restricted when youtube is in safe mode?

  • @playbookshowme484

    @playbookshowme484

    2 жыл бұрын

    Cause Skate or Die!!

  • @streamx2
    @streamx29 жыл бұрын

    I stopped watching when he said they are not allowed to play sports. Afghanistan has women's football, cycling, judo, boxing,volleyball, basketball and many other teams. The Taliban and some extremists do say women should not play sports but that is what we are fighting. I think the government should thank you and then ask you to leave.

  • @MrAnyone12345

    @MrAnyone12345

    9 жыл бұрын

    .

  • @mina0685

    @mina0685

    8 жыл бұрын

    but not in community its just behind the the big walls

  • @nataliaoliveira7939

    @nataliaoliveira7939

    7 жыл бұрын

    why are you so bitter? he said that this happened almost 10 years ago, and even though there are girls on these sports in Afghanistan or Brazil (my country) that does not mean the culturally it happens this way- here, besides, all the propaganda, girls have a hard time in some sports, not that there are not female teams here BUT on a daily basis, the face prejudice

  • @streamx2

    @streamx2

    7 жыл бұрын

    I feel that the media and some people twist the truth to make a "better"story. Now Afghanistan is a war torn country and things are obviously nor perfect but we are fighting back against the extremists in every part of our society and culturally are not Saudi Arabia. Also its not cultural most of the time, many families oppose their daughters playing football because its not safe, public gatherings are almost always targeted by the Taliban.

  • @Noi5ee

    @Noi5ee

    6 жыл бұрын

    I don't see why you want him to leave (close down skateistan) because of what the he said, even if it weren't true. A bit of a over reaction