A Pakistani student named Zabi took the microphone at Wednesday's nationwide education rally in Athens and delivered one...

A Pakistani student named Zabi took the microphone at Wednesday's nationwide education rally in Athens and delivered one of the most talked-about moments of the day. Zabi, who has lived in Greece for nearly three years, described being mocked by classmates because of his skin color and national origin, with fellow students calling him "black" as a slur. He said teachers and school administrators repeatedly fail to step in when he reports the bullying. Zabi attends the 20th school in Agios Nikolaos and described conditions there as deeply neglected. He said the toilets have no paper, no functioning drains, and no lights, with broken windows throughout the building. When students have tried to organize protests over these conditions, he said, administrators threatened to call the police on them. Despite all of this, his message was not one of grievance against Greece itself. He told the crowd he believes Greece is his country, that he wants no conflict, and that he hopes the country continues to improve. He also criticized government spending priorities, saying that while the state pours money into defense, schools like his receive almost nothing. Wednesday's rally was part of a nationwide education strike, with teachers walking off the job for 24 hours to demand improvements to school conditions and funding. Zabi's speech was reported by the Orange Press Agency and published by newsit on October 21, 2026. #Greece #Education #Athens