Fuente: © UEFA (English)
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UEFA ORGANISATION: Thuram promotes European ideal

/noticias.info/ FC Barcelona and France star Lilian Thuram has agreed to act as patron of an exhibition next summer, in which UEFA and the Brussels regional government are teaming up to portray the theme of Europe and football.

European idea
"Only a Game?" will run from 23 May to 26 August 2007 in the Parc du Cinquantennaire, Brussels's most prestigious exhibition venue. Throughout 2007, the Belgian capital and host to European political institutions will promote itself as a tourist destination through the idea of Europe. Next year also sees the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which created the European Economic Community, and the city is home to the EU institutions.

Europe and its football
The goal is to show Europe viewed through its football. At the heart of the visit are a huge table football and an interactive sphere. The exhibition has been designed with everyone in mind - young and old, fans of football, and even those who are not. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the great stories featuring the star players, and will encounter many interactive elements and rare items from prestigious European sports museums.

Shining example
Lilian Thuram is a shining example of European integration. When he heard that 26 percent of inhabitants of Brussels are of foreign origin, the West Indian defender raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Exchange is part of man's nature," he said. "Being European is all about growing. I am European. I see myself as a citizen of the world."

Mixed culture
"I come from the West Indies, and so my culture is a mixture of the Caribbean, France, America and so on," says Thuram, who was born in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadaloupe on 1 January 1972. He has seen a lot of Europe in his career, moving from the suburbs of Paris to AS Monaco FC as a young player, and then enjoying spells with Parma FC and Juventus in Italy before moving to Catalonia to play for FC Barcelona last summer.

Living experience
'There is an identity crisis, and the notion of identity is disappearing," Thuram reflects. "But there is every reason to be optimistic. I am not defined by a geographic area, but by a feeling. Europe is an extraordinary idea', he concludes. The Brussels exhibition will be a living experience of this statement. notas_de_prensa_archivo