The actor Ahmed Younoussi He tells in the first person of his arrival to Spain from Morocco on the underside of a truck in the play. ‘14.40’, a show co-written by the performer himself, Juan Diego Botto and Sergio Peris-Mencheta,who directs the production that premieres at Naves de Matadero from June 27 to July 28.
“Immigration has become a legal business because everyone benefits from it. With juvenile centers there is no desire to recover these kids and reinsert them into society.“lamented Younoussi, who arrived in Spain when he was nine years old and after living on the streets of Morocco since he was 6 years old.
The actor, in a meeting with several media outlets, says that he did not want to go to Europe, but he hid in the undercarriage of a truck that ended up in Tarifa (Cádiz), something that he did not know about when he got into the vehicle, and at the same time When he woke up he realized he was in Spain. “Europe for Moroccans is a better world, but because they have never known anything else. It is such a profound thought that that is why they risk their lives and there are people who take advantage of the desperation of those who want to leave,” he says.
The play ‘14.4’ arose 15 years ago in a meeting between Peris-Mencheta and Younoussi and comes to light today as the Spanish-Moroccan feels prepared to be an actor, who makes it clear that his story is that of many other young people who arrive in Spain and trusts that the show “breaks prejudices.”
“We get into my story to be able to teach others about other young people. We want to bring young Moroccans closer to the public so that society has more knowledge and can give their opinion from a closer and closer point of view. See what a minor from Morocco can go through and maybe understand the behavior they have here“, has explained.
Asked about juvenile centers, Younoussi believes that The educators who exist have “very little experience” in dealing with young people who are “depleted and with a burned heart.” “The race is not everything and even more so when dealing with kids who are so affected, with their hearts burned. The experts require people who have been through the same thing and can re-educate them so that they have more resources and thus help minors,” he said.
“More than half of those who come want to work, what happens is that they see everything so black that they hang out with people who maybe steal and they end up stealing and the system adopts them as a thief. They are very discriminated against even by the Moroccans themselves who live well here. And people don’t see that and they don’t see that that kid behind their eyes may have a story, a desire to call his mother or maybe he hasn’t known anything about his family for 15 years,” he explained.
“SPAIN IS NOT RACIST”
Younoussi affirms that in Spain he has felt “racism”, although he clarifies that it has been on the part of the institutions and points out that in some cases it is due to “unconscious racism.” “Spain is not a racist country, although institutionally I have felt racism due to an issue with my son,” he has assured without wanting to delve into the case of his mother.
“Some are unconsciously racist because of their behavior, even if they don’t see it.“But it’s not their fault because it’s due to the society they’ve been brought up on. And everyone, no matter where you come from, has been brought up on one thing or another,” he adds.
The actor believes that the “problem” that Spain has in the issue of racism is due to the fact that “a few” want to modify the country’s “movement” by saying that ‘the migrants come to take our bread’ or ‘to rape the women’.
“It is not fair that a few want to devalue the cultural level that this country has, which is super enriching.“, sentence.
“I AM A SON OF THE STRAIT”
From his first days in Spain, the actor remembers that it was clear to him that it was easier for him to “adapt” to Spain than the other way around and he reveals that he was helped by an educator named Borja who provided foster care. ““I went from being a street kid who lived in a juvenile center to having a house, going to school and having my room,” states.
“I am who I am for many Spaniards because I have had many people who have helped me,” he noted. In this regard, he has joked by saying that he is an “immigrant” in life because when he goes to Morocco he is an immigrant and in Spain too.
“I’m not from here because they say I’m a fake Spaniard, but I’m not from there either because for them I’m a European. I always say that I am a son of the Straits“he concludes.