Christian Burgess: ‘You meet people who have been on crazy journeys’

Christian Burgess: ‘You meet people who have been on crazy journeys’

It’s hard to put a label on English defender Christian Burgess of Belgian leaders Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. For our #Morethanfootball campaign, and especially for this Refugees and Social inclusion Action Day, we spoke with him about his volunteer work at the refugee camps in Calais. However, he is as passionate about training a disability team, climate change, or veganism as he is excited to see Belgian kids biking to school. Monologue of a citizen with a heart for the world.

Instead of spending time with his family, the sweeper of Belgian Pro League leaders Royale Union Saint-Gilloise fulfilled his New Year’s resolution immediately with a visit to a refugee camp in Calais, France, on January 1^st.  “I had been there twice before, already once right after my first season in Belgium ended and I stayed in Calais then for a week. That was also my first experience with Care4Calais, a charity that does really important work for the people there. The organisation goes to six different places and meets with all kinds of refugees. I went back a couple of times and one of these visits was on New Year’s day.”

Normally I would have played a lot of games in England during the Christmas period. Now I saw these guys in the refugee camp of Dunkirk play on a pitch with some apartment blocks in the backgroud. A very different experience!

It was also the first time the player had some days off around the holidays. “Normally, while playing in England, you would have had a lot of games in the Christmas and New Year’s period. So I would have been in a stadium, playing a game. This time, it was a totally different experience. I went to Dunkirk and it happened that there was a football pitch. Now I saw these guys play on a field, with some apartment blocks in the background. It was very different!”

It’s great to spend the afternoon with these groups. You meet some really interesting people who have been on crazy journeys across Asia, Africa and Europe. I met also some amazing volunteers. It’s a real pleasure to meet all these people.

“The organisation Care4Calais provides the distributions of tents, sleeping bags, clothes, food packs depending on the need of the people”, explains Christian. “They give charging boards so one can charge his mobile phone or get some power for their batteries. They have hairdressing stations so the guys can shave their beards, cut their hair, give them a little bit of dignity. Most of them live in tents under difficult circumstances. There is hot tea, coffee, some juices and they can play games. Some refugees from Afghanistan play cricket, I joined them as well. I like cricket too. If they have special needs, the organisation tries to reach out to them. It’s great to spend the afternoon with these groups. You meet some really interesting people who have been on crazy journeys across Asia, Africa and Europe. I met also some amazing volunteers. It’s a real pleasure to meet all these people, I enjoy it!”

Sometimes they do ask what I do for a living but I don’t like to advertise it. There, I’m just Christian. The refugees don’t even know I’m a professional football player, they just think I’m quite good at sports.

“I don’t have an official role but I’m in close relation with the organisation and I text them when I’m free. They put me then on a schedule. I turn up and get to work: in the morning in the warehouse to prepare the distribution for the afternoon. They don’t know me as a football player, There, I’m just Christian. Sometimes they do ask what I do for a living but I don’t like to advertise it. The refugees don’t even know I’m a professional football player, they just think I’m quite good at sports.

While spending time in these camps, Burgess has witnessed some impressive stories. “I have met guys from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Sudan, and all other kinds of countries where people are escaping prosecution, war. There’s always something wrong around the globe. People have walked hundreds of miles, being beaten, bitten by dogs. I have seen dog bites…It’s wild. They are all super positive even though some have some issues with the things they have seen and been through. The overwhelming thing is that they are always so kind. If you go over the site, they will offer you coffee or tea. They are so generous. Hospitality is in their culture. It’s just a shame we don’t mirror that hospitality back on them.”

It must be strange to him, while being British, to be on the other side of the Channel while all the refugees desperately want to cross the water. “Often when they hear I’m from England they sigh: ahh that’s where I wanna go. Then they ask if I can take them with me. Unfortunately, I can’t. Then they ask how to get their best. There is no easy way. The government’s policy is to discourage that. They don’t offer a safe and legal way and that’s why people risk their lives by crossing the water in boats from Dunkirk or jumping on trucks in Calais. This year there have been quite a few deaths: people being hit by trucks, drowning. It’s terribly sad. Only when they get to the UK, they can legally claim asylum which is a tactic from the government and that’s unfortunately where the people have voted for. I feel a little bit ashamed and embarrassed that my country is so unhospitable towards these refugees who are just like me and you. They are just unlucky where they have been born and they try to flee from terrible crimes. They just want to be safe and have the same opportunities as everyone else.”

If you go over the camp site, they will offer you coffee or tea. They are so generous. Hospitality is in their culture. It’s just a shame we don’t mirror that hospitality back on them.

The more experienced volunteers get to know the refugees and hear sometimes stories of guys who made it to the other side, to the United Kingdom. “The charity is not only in Calais but also in England. They have various points across the country to help refugees once they get there. You hear the successes but also the really sad stories of those who lose their lives.”

“Some people stay in the camps for months. I went there in the spring of 2021 and met the same guy on New Year’s Day. I know an Afghani guy who lived in England, his asylum request was turned down. He was sent back to Afghanistan, still feared his life, and made it back to Calais. Now he can’t apply again and his idea is to live there illegally, under the radar. What kind of life is that? So depressive! Even if you make it across, you have no guarantee to get a shelter.”

Some of the big guys, the famous football players, have such big platforms. Maybe more players can do something like Marcus Rashford did, also by being examples.”

What can the football community do to help the people in these circumstances? Christian has a clear answer: “Raise awareness of the human aspect, try to encourage acceptability about it. It’s also about trying to put some pressure on the government. It could have been me or you if we were born in a different place. It’s the lottery of birth. I did nothing to be born in the UK, it’s just being lucky. Some of the big guys, the famous football players, have such big platforms. You saw it with Marcus Rashford and the food supply for school children which was brilliant. Maybe more players can do that also by being examples.”

“In these times, we have seen how well Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed, which is great. A lot of people in the UK want to help out and reach them a hand but not so much from the government. The will is there to help people also from other countries than Ukraine. But no one knows what’s going on in Eritrea, Sudan or Yemen. If these countries were more in the spotlight, more people would like to help. But then the government needs them to allow to help. But they don’t. The conservatives have run off an anti-immigration start for a long time now. That sentiment still exists.”

Part Two of the interview with Christian Burgess will be published on April 13th, during the Sustainability and Climate Change Action Day.