Book of writer Liliane Mesquita, ‘Poetry in Football’, defeats prejudice, racism and hatred

Mencius Melo – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Give a goleada in the prejudice, showing the “red card” to expel racism, inequality and hatred of the “game of life”, climbing to the field peace, diversity, kindness and unity, this is the proposal of the book “Poetry in Football”, the publisher Ases da Literatura, the pedagogue and writer Liliane Mesquita, released in September. Sales are available on Amazon and Livraria da Travessa.

In an interview to CENARIUM MAGAZINE, the writer and educator from Rio de Janeiro commented on the proposal of the work. “I’m an educator, I’m a mother, and it’s my human side that seeks to bring these messages through literature, of respect for differences, of a more empathetic look towards others, of the importance of understanding, of affection and affection, which are so lacking at the present time”, contextualized the writer.

Facing the political ebullience of the last years, where hundreds of violent manifestations of racism and prejudice have invaded the internet, Liliane believes that her work can contribute with the generations that are coming and can make Brazil a better country. “Prejudice, machismo and homophobia have existed for a long time, it is not something recent, and I believe that people have felt free to express themselves, in a negative way, but, I also believe that we can break with these structures. It will take some time, but I believe in it”, he hoped.

Debate

Faced with the context of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, whose global criticism echoed around the world after “the discovery” that the small, millionaire Gulf emirate is a country hostile to homosexuals and feminist agendas, the writer opined. “Football has the ability to broaden debates because the eyes of the world turn to the host country and many start to discover what is happening in Qatar, situations that happen there. That in itself draws attention”, she said.

Among the examples, she cites two cases that were widely reported around the world. “Football even brings the possibility of protests, as was the case with the scene of the woman who entered the stadium moved by emotion and cried. Not because she liked football itself, but because she was inside an apparently masculine space to show that it could also be a place for her”, she said. “Another scene was of the German team covering their mouths at official photo time, in protest at not being able to wear the armband with the rainbow colours”, he quoted.

Amazon

When questioned about the environmental causes and if this could become an agenda of her literary production, Liliane Mesquita said: “The Amazon is a very important theme that needs to be discussed, thought and reflected upon, so that we can have a more affectionate look at the importance that the Amazon has for the country and for the world”, she highlighted. “It is a reflection that shows us that we are in the world and part of it, and we are not a world apart”, she philosophised.

“And since we are part of the world and depend, directly, on nature, it is necessary to understand that we are part of it and not something separate from it”, she calculated. Connected with human causes, the writer anticipates that she will produce something in the direction of the world’s largest forest. “I have many stories in books to come, and certainly the Amazon will be a theme embraced in the literature that I produce, of course always with a bias of empathy, kindness and in this case: focused on saving nature”, she concluded.

The writer

Liliane Mesquita was born in Rio de Janeiro and lives in the city of Duque de Caxias. She graduated in Education and Institutional Psychopedagogy. She currently works at the Duque de Caxias City Hall, where she works as an educational advisor and reading facilitator, stimulating children to get to know the literary world. She is the author of the books ‘O Desaparecimento do Senhor Abraço, Onde é o lugar de Dandara?’ and ‘Qual é a sua forma?’. Her most recent work is ‘Poetry in Football’. Passionate about sports since she was a child and a Flamengo supporter, she was a football player as a teenager.