Tags: politics, Afghanistan, Kabul, Skateistan, skateboarding, sports, New Statesman, the Age A trio of Aussies have been teaching kids in Kabul how to skateboard, the New Statesman reports, and by year’s end they hope to establish Afghanistan’s first coed skateboarding school.
"We want to create a positive image of Afghan youth," cofounder Travis Beard told the New Statesman, "to bridge east and west, and of course the guys will learn all sorts of life skills.... But above all, it's about sport and having fun."
They call themselves Skateistan. The group has had trouble finding skateboard-friendly spots in Kabul—potholes and dust are a problem, not to mention safety and security—and they’re still looking for a space for the school.
What’s not a problem, though, is getting young people in Kabul to pick up a skateboard. "They've got more balance than Western kids, mainly because they're not scared to fall and get up again," Skateistan cofounder Oliver Percovich told the Age. Image courtesy of Sharna Nolan/Skateistan.
So how does one discuss this without falling afoul of the 'fish rules on appropriate topics? Talk about walking through a literal and figurative mine field.
skateboards to Afghanistan...
A trio of Aussies have been teaching kids in Kabul how to skateboard, the 
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