Honourable senators, I rise today to share the story of Firooz Khan Auobi, an Afghan refugee who has shown compassion, determination and solidarity since coming to Canada.

Firooz came to Canada in January 2023, and within 10 days, had found his first job. He has now moved on to a job at Amazon. In an effort to foster a sense of community and create a familiar and safe space, Firooz founded the United Strikers, a football — or soccer — team composed of other Afghan refugees he had met at work.

His generosity and determination to make the United Strikers a reality was such that he paid for all the jerseys and equipment himself. The members of the United Strikers not only share a passion for football, but also share similar life goals they are all working hard to achieve. Some even dream of becoming professional football players.

Even though most would view this as a refugee success story, Firooz confessed to me that he misses home and longs to go back to Afghanistan and to see — once again — the beautiful pomegranate garden surrounding his home in Kabul. Those of us who know Afghanistan, Kabul and all of Afghanistan is renowned for its stunning gardens and abundance of food that used to grow there. As someone who has made frequent trips to Afghanistan, I will never forget the majesty of the mountains, the serene valleys and the happy people.

Firooz credits his father as being his rock and his greatest supporter in this journey. I wanted to share Firooz’s story today to highlight the importance of empathy and community in Canada, and I am proud to do so in the presence of the United Strikers.

Firooz, thank you for all your hard work, and I wish the United Strikers — those who are here and those who couldn’t join us because of exams — continued success.

Thank you.