“Refugees in Libya” Protests in Switzerland
Info event at Hello Welcome, Bundesstrasse 13, Lucerne
Friday 25.11.22, start 18:00 hrs.
Many refugees in Libya experience violence. They have therefore started protests. We would like to support these people from Switzerland. Therefore, there will be days of action at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva on December 9 and 10, 2022.
At the info event in Lucerne, affected people will talk about the situation in Libya. We would like to hear what the protests are like. We also want to hear why the protests have to take place all over Europe and how we can support the people.
The new website http://unfairagency.org is online to mobilize for the protests in front of the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva in December. Joint travel is planned from all major Swiss cities. Help spread the word about the protest and turn the voices of refugees in Libya louder.
“One year ago, thousands of refugees had been protesting for more than 100 days in front of the UNHCR office in Tripoli: an historical act of self-organisation under the harshest conditions. Instead of listening and improving, UNHCR criticised their protest, ignored their voices, and remained silent in light of the brutal eviction and detention of those claiming their fundamental rights. Despite ongoing repressions and threats, the demands of “Refugees in Libya” prevail and their struggles continue in various different forms.
To support “Refugees in Libya” in their fight and to amplify the voices of all those who keep getting ignored, punished, and unfairly treated by an agency that is supposed to protect them, we call for two days of action in front of the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on the 9th and 10th of December 2022.
For more information, please check the Call to Geneva page directly.”
Last summer the north-eastern European migration route was modified and established once again.. The border zone was shielded, walls were built and the so-called border protection was incredibly militarised. Despite this violent policy, people on the move still try to cross the border and seek shelter in Europe. Activists who support people on the move on their way face serious police and government repression.
During the info tour people active at the Polish Belarusian border will talk about the actual situation, their struggles and what support they might need.
21.10.22 Luzern
23.10.22 Bern
24.10.22 Zürich
Violence, misery and death have become everyday life at Europe’s external borders. Refugees and migrants are disenfranchised, beaten and deported. As the European border and coast guard, Frontex is partly responsible. Frontex is not transparent. Frontex looks the other way. Frontex is complicit in human rights abuses. Despite this, Frontex is being massively expanded across Europe. On May 15, a vote will be held on whether Switzerland will participate in this expansion of Frontex.
NO to Frontex.
YES to freedom of movement.
Also in Lucerne.
We say: NO to Frontex on May 15 and beyond. YES to freedom of movement for all. NO to racist unequal treatment. YES to borderless solidarity – Let’s carry NoFrontex together on the streets.
Share the call, mobilize your friends, unite. See you on 23.04 in Bern!
From 19.00 h Infokafi Molotow
7.30 p.m. Short film ‘Near our border
19.30 until 21.00 Collection of donations in kind for people fleeing in Bosnia and Herzegovina by open eyes
21.00 The smashed kneecaps
22.15 Churchieboys
23.30 Appalling Mist
Afterwards & open end Lost in Time Record Show
The Infokafi opens its doors and invites you to sit down for a drink, get to know each other, browse through the books and exchange ideas about extra-parliamentary politics.
From 19.30 the short film ‘Near our border’: documentary film by Martina and Pina (21min./engl.). The short film gives an impression of the situation of people on the move at the Bosnian-Croatian border.
Followed by: input and open discussion.
open eyes collects donations in kind for people on the run in Bosnia and Herzegovina we collect:
After two long years of absence the Buskers Festival of Bern is back!
Join us from August 9 to 13 in the streets of Neuchâtel to celebrate Music and Street Arts.
Under the name of “safe migration routes for all”, Seebrücke, sea-eye and open eyes will have a stand and collect your deposit. Come and eat, connect and chat.
More info here.
In May, Switzerland will have the unique opportunity to say YES to freedom of movement for all and NO to Frontex. The Swiss parliament decided to strengthen the European border protection agency Frontex with 61 million Swiss francs annually. But activists collected 50.000 signatures for a referendum on that will take place on May 15. If successful, the referendum may lead to Switzerland being the first European country that decides to actively defund Frontex. Due to the Schengen-acquis it is even likely that Switzerland will completely withdraw from Frontex.
During the next Abolish Frontex Action Days, we want to show that the topic does not concern Switzerland alone. We invite you to organise actions against Frontex and Europe’s murderous border regime. Any type of actions are welcome, but our idea was to show solidarity with the development in Switzerland and to highlight what your country contributes to Frontex. That could be planes, personnel, weapons, ships, money, or more… If you need help to find out what your country’s national contributions are, you can get in touch with the research group: research@abolishfrontex.org.
The dates of the Action Days are also symbolically significant: On 22 April 2021, 130 people drowned in the Mediterranean Sea despite Alarm Phone calling authorities for help for 10 whole hours and a Frontex plane flying over their heads, surveilling their suffering. The people could have been rescued but the EU knowingly left them to die at sea. We need effective Search and Rescue mechanisms instead of a murderous border agency!
Ideas for actions:
Violence, misery and death have become everyday life at Europe’s external borders. People on the run are disenfranchised, beaten and deported. As the European border and coast guard, Frontex is partly responsible. In the run-up to the vote on the planned expansion of the agency’s support, various groups in Lucerne are denouncing the European policy of sealing people off – with a border fence in Lucerne.
In Frontex’s area of operation, the EU’s external borders, the consequences of isolation are becoming apparent. People drown, freeze to death or succumb to injuries and diseases. They are blocked, experience violence and are denied basic rights.
Research confirms what refugees have been saying for years: Frontex is complicit in human rights abuses and illegal pushbacks. Recordings show that Frontex is present when national coast guards destroy the engines of boats and leave refugees behind in the sea. Frontex also systematically cooperates with the so-called Libyan coast guard, which intercepts boats en masse and forcibly returns them to Libya.
“The current situation shows what is possible: open borders, great solidarity. This possibility of escape must not only be guaranteed today and at this border, but must also be possible tomorrow and everywhere. It needs freedom of movement for all.” NoFrontex Group Lucerne
Eine Veranstaltung von SOS MEDITERRANEE Suisse
Am diesjährigen Weltfrauentag möchten wir euch die Möglichkeit geben zwei tolle Frauen kennenzulernen, die an Bord der Ocean Viking waren: Stefanie, Leiterin des medizinischen Teams, und Emmanuelle Chaze, die unsere Rettungseinsätze im April 2021 als unabhängige Journalistin begleitet hat.
Sie werden von ihren Erfahrungen erzählen, über die starken Frauen sprechen, die übers Mittelmeer geflohen sind und die sie an Bord der Ocean Viking getroffen haben, und euren Fragen antworten. Seit Beginn unserer Rettungseinsätze 2016 konnten wir über 5000 Frauen retten.
Zu ihnen haben unsere weiblichen Teammitglieder eine ganz spezielle Beziehung. Denn im Gegensatz zu ihren männlichen Kollegen haben sie Zugang zum Frauenschutzraum auf der Ocean Viking. Dort und in der Bordklinik kommt es zu besonderen Begegnungen, wo frau Vertrauen aufbaut, füreinander da ist und sich öffnet.
Wir freuen uns, diesen Weltfrauentag mit euch zu verbringen und mit Frauen rund um die Seenotrettung zu sprechen!
Über diesen Link kannst du am 8. März um 19 Uhr am Gespräch teilnehmen: https://bit.ly/3gThZGl
We want to organise together and invite you to a first meeting:
Against Frontex and for freedom of movement!
Date: 27.02.2022
Time: 14.00
Place: RäZel, Horwerstrasse 14, 6005 Lucerne
Goals: To plan actions, information events and mobilisation
Are you in?
Against Frontex and for freedom of movement! Together we want to organise and invite you to a first kick-off meeting:
16 February at 18:00 on zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/99612290730?pwd=M3RvODdYdHArZ1ovenpyaXNhQ1k4UT09
The NoFrontex Committee will present the NoFrontex campaign and we will discuss how people can get involved – be it in a local group or in a supra-regional working group of the NoFrontex referendum, as an individual or as an organisation. Let’s create space for diverse resistance until 15 May and beyond!
Thu. 10 February 2022 – Door opening 19:00, Film 20:00 ★ Kino Reitschule, Bern
Movie (62 min., OV/g) with lecture by Lorenz Naegeli (activist of Watch the Med Alarmphone and researcher) and discussion on Frontex and Switzerland.
Solidarity evening for the Legal Centre Lesvos.
More information can be found here.
Solidarity film evening followed by a discussion – Director: Jana Stallein; documentary film; GR/D 2020, original version with German subtitles, 1h21 – proceeds against to the Legal Centre Lesvos.
Footage of the huge camp for refugees on Lesvos, where at times over 15,000 people live, just a few weeks before the big fire. There is an official part, and the unofficial part, “Moria Jungle”, where thousands live illegally in the surrounding olive groves. Within the camp, it makes a difference under which of the aid organisations you are placed, one resident tells us. German is taught in makeshift tents by a young man who is fleeing Afghanistan for the second time after his deportation. Volunteers from the refugees meet volunteers from all over Europe to train each other. Translators also try to convey cultural differences.
In SHAPES OF LESBOS, however, the locals of Lesbos are also addressed; the economy and life on the island no longer function as before. Not only in view of the masses of refugees, but also the legions of volunteers. Where there was a great willingness to help at the beginning, there is resignation in the face of the permanence of the situation. Cramped conditions everywhere, limited capacities, excessive demands. In between, impressive spaces that refugees like the sixteen-year-old martial arts fighter Sohela create for themselves where there is actually no space.
Filmmaker Jana Stallein was on site and tries to depict different perspectives and points of view. In between, images of the beach with the numerous remnants of the crossing, overlaid on a tonal level with excerpts from reporting on European refugee policy. “And then someone asks me” reports a young female doctor after her exhausting mission in the Moria refugee camp, “when do you think there will be another conflict? Most of the fights take place after 10 p.m., when none of the helpers are there any more.” (Stefanie Gaus)
more info on cinématte.
CommemorActions are actions that commemorate those who have died, gone missing or become forcibly disappeared on their journeys across borders.
It is about remembering the murdered and missing in the deserts, oceans and at the borders, and to protest the violent border regimes of Europe. But at the same time we want to come together to express solidarity for all migrants who have died and disappeared at sea and at the borders, solidarity to their families and friends, and solidarity to all those struggling for freedom of movement.
SEEBRÜCKE joins the call from Watch The Med – Alarmphone: let’s organize decentralized, in as many cities as possible, actions on the weekend of February 4/5 and 6! Let us gather on this day in solidarity to demand answers!
Kein Mensch ist illegal! Schluss mit Ausschaffungen!
18. Dezember // 12:45 Uhr // Bahnhofplatz Luzern // um 13:30 Uhr gemeinsame Anreise nach Wauwil zur Demo
Anstatt geflüchteten oder migrierten Personen ein sicheres und würdiges Leben zu ermöglichen, werden in der Schweiz jedes Jahr Tausende Menschen unter Zwang ausgeschafft. Dahinter steht ein zutiefst rassistisches System: Geflüchteten Menschen wird grundsätzlich mit Misstrauen begegnet, sie werden in «richtige» und «Schein-Geflüchtete» eingeteilt. Folgen davon sind die Illegalisierung, der Verlust praktisch aller Rechte in der Nothilfe, oder zuletzt die Ausschaffung. Wir sagen: Kein Mensch ist illegal! Keine Person sollte jemals an den Ort zurückkehren müssen, den sie verlassen wollten oder mussten. Wir fordern: Bleiberecht für alle!
No person is illegal! Stop deportations!
December 18// 12.45 PM // Banhofsplatz Lucerne // At 1.30 PM joint journey to Wauwil for the demo
Instead of providing refugees and migrants with a safe and dignified life, thousands of people are forcibly deported out of Switzerland every year. Behind this stands a profoundly racist system: refuges are on principle treated with suspicion, they are divided into “real” and “pretend” refugees. The consequences of this are illegalization, the loss of practically all rights in emergency aid, or finally deportation. We say: No human being is illegal. No person should ever have to return to the place they wanted to or had to leave. We demand: The right to stay for all!
Hiç kimse yasa dışı değil! sınır dışı edilmeyi sonlandır.
18. Aralik//13.00’de Bahnhofsplatz Luzern’de buluşup saat 13.30’de hep beraber Wauwil
‘deki eyleme katılacağız Mülteci veya göçmenlerin güvenli ve onurlu bir yaşam sürmelerini sağlamak yerine her yıl binlerce insan İsviçre’de zorla sınır dışı ediliyor. Bunun arkasında ırkçı bir sistem var: Mültecilere genellikle şüpheyle yaklaşılıyor, “gerçek” ve “sahte mülteciler” olarak ikiye ayrılıyor. Bunun sonuçları ise mültecileri yasa dışı ilan etme, acil yardımla ilgili neredeyse tüm hakları ellerinden alma veya nihayetinde sınır dışı edilmesidir.Diyoruz ki: kimse yasa dışı değildir! Hiç kimse istemediği veya ayrılmak zorunda bırakıldığı yere geri dönmek zorunda kalmamalıdır. Talep ediyoruz: herkes için kalma hakkı!
ዘይሕጋዊ ዝዀነ ይኹን ሰብ የለን! ደጊም ምጥራዝ ክውገድ ኣለዎ!
18 ታሕሳስ ሰዓት 12.45 Bahnhofsplatz Luzern
ሰዓት 13.30 ጉዕዞና ብሓባር ንሰለማዊ ሰልፊ ናብ Wauwil
ኣብ ዓዓመት ብኣሽሓት ዚቝጸሩ ሰባት ስደተኛታት ብሰላም ክነብሩ ኣብ ክንዲ ዝግበረሎም፡ ብድፍኢት እዮም ካብ ስዊዘርላንድ ዝጥረዙ። ኣብቲ ናይ ስደተኛታት መስርሕ ውን ብሓፈሻ ሕማቅ ወይ ዓሌትነት ዝተሓወሶ መስርሕ እዩ ዘሎ። ስደተኛታት ብሓፈሻ ኣዝዩ ሕማቅን ምትእምማን ዝጎደሎ ኣቀባብላ ክግበረሎም እንከሎ፡
ናይ ሓቂ ኸምኡውን ናይ ሓሶት ስደተኛታት ተባሂሎም ካኣ ተመቒሎም ኣለዉ። ሳዕቤኑ ከኣ ዘይሕጋዊ ምግባር ዳርጋ ዅሉ መሰላት ህጹጽ ረድኤት ምጥፋእ ወይ ኣብ መወዳእታ ምጥራዝ እዩ።
ንሕና ካኣ ዋላ ሓደ ሰብ ዘይሕጋዊ ኣይኰነን ንብል!
ዝዀነ ይኹን ሰብ ናብቲ ክገድፎ ዝተገደደ ወይ ክወጽእ ዝመረጾ ቦታ ብዘይምርጭኡ ክምለስ የብሉን። ንሕና ከኣ ኩሉ ሰብ ኣብቲ ዘለዎ ቦታ ናይ ምጽናሕ መሰል ኽህልዎ ጻዊዕትና ነቅርብ ኣለና!
Tû kes ne îllegal e! Êdî dersînorkirin nema!
18 Kanûn, seet 13:00 Bahnhofsstrasse Lucerne.
Cûyîna hevbeş ji bo demo li Wauwil di 13:30
de Her sal bi hezaran kes bi darê zorê ji Swîsreyê têne dersînorkirin, li şûna ku penaber an koçber karibin jiyanek bi ewle û bi rûmet bijîn. Li pişt vê pergalek nijadperest a kûr heye: Penaber pir caran bi gumanan têne dîtin, di bin navên “penaberên rast” û “penaberên sexte” de têne dabeş kirin. Encam dersînorkirin, windakirina hema hema hemî mafên alîkariya acîl, û di dawiyê de dersînorkirin in. Em dibêjin: Tû kes ne îllegal e! Divê tu kes nevegerê cîhê ku ew naxwaze an jî cîhê ku ji bo wî xetereyê.
Em daxwaz dikin: Mafê mayînê ji bo her k
The referendum against Frontex requires 50,000 signatures from people entitled to vote in Switzerland. Or to put it another way: 1,000 people are needed to collect 50 signatures each. Groups and organisations that want to support the referendum against Frontex are of course also welcome! The signatures must be collected by the end of 2021.
Every day Frontex violates human rights at the external borders of Europe, on the Mediterranean or the Balkans. Also on 10.12 – the International Human Rights Day. We are using this day as an opportunity to collect signatures against Frontex from 10 to 12 December.
There will be group chats in individual regions to coordinate joint collection actions.more info:
https://frontex-referendum.ch/take-action/
Sea-Eye wants to use the film to draw attention to problems created by the EU itself. To the suffering and hardships people face on their journeys, and to the incredible work of NGOs (in this case Sea-Eye), who are the only ones taking on the task of saving people in the Mediterranean.
A film by Boxfish commissioned by Sea-Eye and Mennonite Relief Services.
In Switzerland, the Sea-Eye group of Bern organizes the screening:
When? November 24 at 8:00 p.m.
Where? Cinema Cinematte Bern, Wasserwekgasse 7, 3011 Bern
An event by SOS Mediterranee Switzerland
Witnesses who were on board our rescue ship or had to flee across the Mediterranean talk about their experiences on this charity evening. In addition, the author Roger de Weck and Caroline Abu Sa’Da, Managing Director of SOS MEDITERRANEE Switzerland, will accompany the evening on stage together with Franz Hohler, Patti Basler and the cellist Chiara Enderle Samatanga.
Tickets can be obtained here:
https://www.schauspielhaus.ch/de/kalender/21958/sos-mediterrane-ein-benefizabend/21959
Violence, misery and death have become sad everyday life at the EU’s external borders. Refugees from war zones are beaten, robbed and sent back. Frontex plays a central role in this. The controversial European border and coast guard is now to be expanded – with more money from Switzerland. Parliament now wants to pay 61 million a year for Frontex instead of the previous 14 million. We demand: No money for human rights violations! For the referendum, we need 50,000 signatures from people who are entitled to vote in Switzerland by the end of the year.
How you can support the referendum:
Sign the referral form.
Spread the information about the referendum on your channels, whether on social media or in the neighborhood.
Support the referendum financially: IBAN: CH72 0900 0000 6024 4887 5, note: “Frontex referendum”.
What is Frontex?
Frontex was founded in 2004. Their area of activity is to support the national authorities in protecting the EU and Schengen external borders. Since 2016 it has grown into a kind of super organization with a higher budget, more staff and its own weapons. Repatriations are now also part of their duties.
Systematic disregard for human rights
Numerous reports from civil society organizations and journalists reveal: National coast guards and border patrols systematically stop refugees and leave them defenseless at the European border. Research in Greece shows how authorities destroyed the boats’ engines and left refugees on non-maneuverable vehicles or inflatable life fins. During several such «pushbacks», Frontex was nearby or even stopped the refugees’ boats and handed them over to the coast guard.
Frontex also uses drones to monitor the Mediterranean Sea and reports refugees to the Libyan coast guard, although refugees in Libya are threatened with imprisonment in camps and serious human rights violations.
Switzerland’s role
As a Schengen member state, Switzerland contributes to the financing of Frontex. With the adoption of the EU regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard, Parliament decided in the autumn session to more than quadruple the contribution – from 14 million today to 61 million per year. In addition, more Swiss people will take part in armed operations in the future. The expansion of Frontex, without any guarantee that human rights will not be systematically violated any further, cannot be reconciled with humanitarian values.
In the Mediterranean, in the forests of Bosnia or in Moria on Lesbos – Europe’s border regime causes inconceivable suffering. With the installation about the disinterest of central Swiss communities and Fortress Europe we draw attention to this deadly policy. We demand: Abolish Frontex, freedom of movement for all!
Vernissage: 4 October 18:30, Inseli Luzern
With speeches, food and protest.
Finissage: 18 October 18:30, Inseli Luzern
An event of the collective “Solidaritätscamp Ostschweiz”.
Bring your tent, sleeping bag and eating utensils and let’s raise awareness together about the humanitarian crisis at Europe’s borders.
We will spend Saturday afternoon, from 12:00, until Sunday 15:00 at the Stadtweiher in Wil. We will have dinner, lunch and breakfast.
During the day there will be a handicraft corner, games, activities and an information stand, in the evening an open-mic and readings. Everyone is welcome to join us, to shape the weekend together and to organise the camp.
We cannot idle home anymore and share a passive role the terrible situation of refugees in Europe. We demand that people to be welcomed with dignity in our country. Because we have enough space in Switzerland as well as in the entire EU.
In April 2021, a group held a public camp in St.Gallen. Out of solidarity, to raise public awareness and to urge political institutions act.
The next solidarity camp should take place in late summer in Wil, of course again in compliance with the Covid-19 protection measures.
We invite you to come to the camp and spend a few hours with us, to emphasize our demands for the evacuation of all camps!
Furthermore we are always looking for people who are willing to tell their story about their journey to Switzerland and thus give an honest impression to all visitors of the camp.
If you have any further ideas or would like to get involved in the organization, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Collective «SoliCampOstschweiz»
solicamp4moria@riseup.net | +41 77 480 79 66
On 4 September, the third solidarity run of the Solinetz Lucerne will take place at the Lidowiese. We want to send a strong signal for more solidarity with refugees.
If you would like to run with us and support solidarity projects and refugees, you can register here.
A run lasts 40 minutes. Laps are run around the Lidowiese near the Museum of Transport (1 lap = 500 metres). There are 2 start times: 1 pm or 2 pm.
Even if you are not able to run, there is the possibility to support by sponsoring a person who could not find private sponsors.
The “Mediterranean Monologues” tell of Naomie from Cameroon and Yassin from Libya, of political resistance, of a boat on its way to Europe, of brutal coast guards, dubious sea rescue centres. And of activists who are doing something to stop the deaths in the Mediterranean. They do what can no longer be taken for granted: they save human life!
The “Mediterranean Monologues” are documentary, verbatim theatre based on interviews lasting several hours. Real cases of sea rescue are reconstructed and told from the perspective of those affected and activists.
A production of the transcultural MAXIM Theatre Zurich.
Written and directed by Michael Ruf, Wort und Herzschlag.
The screening will be followed by a discussion.
Admission: 25.- / 5,- Swiss Francs (refugees) /35,- (solidarity price)
An event by Hello Welcome in cooperation with seebrücke.ch, wort-und-herzschlag.de, alarmphone.org
The “Mediterranean Monologues” tell of Naomie from Cameroon and Yassin from Libya, of political resistance, of a boat on its way to Europe. The “Mediterranean Monologues” are documentary, verbatim theatre based on interviews lasting several hours. Real cases of sea rescue are reconstructed and told from the perspective of those affected and activists.
Author: Michael Ruf (Word and Heartbeat)
A performance by the MAXIM Theatre Zurich
When: Friday, 18 June, 7.30 p.m.
Where: Grabenhalle, St.Gallen
Cost: Free admission, collection.
The “Mediterranean Monologues” tell of Naomie from Cameroon and Yassin from Libya, of political resistance, of a boat on its way to Europe. The “Mediterranean Monologues” are documentary, verbatim theatre based on interviews lasting several hours. Real cases of sea rescue are reconstructed and told from the perspective of those affected and activists.
Author: Michael Ruf (Word and Heartbeat)
A performance by the MAXIM Theatre Zurich
When: Friday, 11 June, 7.00 p.m.
Where: Heiliggeistkirche, Bern
Cost: Free admission, collection.
The “Mediterranean Monologues” tell of Naomie from Cameroon and Yassin from Libya, of political resistance, of a boat on its way to Europe. The “Mediterranean Monologues” are documentary, verbatim theatre based on interviews lasting several hours. Real cases of sea rescue are reconstructed and told from the perspective of those affected and activists.
Author: Michael Ruf (Word and Heartbeat)
A performance by the MAXIM Theatre Zurich
When: Wednesday, 16 June, 7.30 p.m.
Where: Citychurch Open St. Jakob, Zürich
Cost: Free admission, collection.
The “Mediterranean Monologues” tell of Naomie from Cameroon and Yassin from Libya, of political resistance, of a boat on its way to Europe. The “Mediterranean Monologues” are documentary, verbatim theatre based on interviews lasting several hours. Real cases of sea rescue are reconstructed and told from the perspective of those affected and activists.
Author: Michael Ruf (Word and Heartbeat)
A performance by the MAXIM Theatre Zurich
After the play, refugees from Lucerne will talk about their experiences. Concrete possibilities for a solidary engagement will be shown.
When: Thursday, 17 June, 7 p.m.
Where: at the Pavillon Nationalquai
Cost: Free admission, collection.
Save the date!
Conference From the Sea to the City:
A Conference of Cities for a Welcoming Europe
25-26 June 2021
Palermo/online
We are delighted to finally announce the dates of this upcoming conference that will take place in Palermo and online!
While the EU and Europe’s national governments double down on migration deterrence at any cost, more and more cities across Europe are becoming the agents of change for a solidarity Europe, taking responsibility for protecting human lives. Welcoming municipalities are growing in number all over Europe and represent a powerful political voice, able to relaunch Europe from the bottom-up.
The conference ‘From the Sea to the City’ will bring together mayors, city representatives and civil society from all over Europe that advocate for safe passage in order to open up opportunities for practical, open-minded solutions which place human rights at the center of the future migration politics.
The conference is thought to be another step in the process of creating a European network of cities, municipalities and civil society with the aim to advocate for an active role of cities in European migration policy. This network wants to increase the visibility of welcoming municipalities at the EU level, encourage other cities to take action and build stronger alliances with civil society actors.
For further information and to keep updated to the upcoming programme, subscribe to the newsletter of From the Sea to the City: https://fromseatocity.eu/
Register to follow the online panels and mayors’ discussions here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElduCvqTMqHtC5yOkPHqMsZKi44K1Vxrsd
On Sunday, 09 May, at 13:30, we as the local group Bern, but also other people with testimonials and personal stories, will speak at an online event of the No WEF Spring Quarter.
This year, instead of the No WEF winter quarter, there will be a spring quarter. There are online events about political movements (e.g. Seebrücke, Basel Nazifrei…). At the same time there will be an exhibition (outside) with recorded interviews of comrades* about ongoing international struggles. So it will be exciting! Let’s show our solidarity in times of the pandemic & set a sign for those who are resisting at the moment! More information will be available soon on winterquartier-bern.ch.
All the latest info at https://www.beimnamennennen.ch/.
From 14-28 February, Seebrücke Luzern, ReSolut and the Lotte Library are showing a large selection of posters from the #NowYouSeeMeMoria series in the windows of the Neubad Bistro. The photographs were taken by refugees in Moria and document the conditions in Moria / Kara Tepe. The designs were created by numerous designers and make the reality of the lives of refugees on Lesvos visible. The aim is to bring about change through visibility.
The exhibition is designed to be visible from outside the Neubad Bistro. We ask you to view it with consideration for the corona regulations and to avoid gatherings in front of the Neubad. So please wear a mask and keep your distance! This way we can make the posters accessible to many people.
So a walk towards Neubad is doubly worthwhile, fresh air and remarkable posters!
There will also be posters to take away in front of the Neubad, which you can display in other places. Spread the Word! Spread the Posters! No more Moria!
Neubad, Bireggstrasse 36, 6003 Luzern
On 14 February, there will be a poster action across Europe coordinated by refugees in Lesbos. The aim is to hang these posters everywhere on 14th of February. The photographs were taken by refugees in Moria and document the conditions in Moria / Kara Tepe. The aim is to bring some change through visibility.
The posters are available for download at https://nowyouseememoria.eu/gallery/. We have the possibility to offer you printed posters if you don’t have the possibility to print them yourself. If you are interested, write to us at schweiz@seebruecke.org until 8th February.
Spread the Word! Spread the Posters! No more Moria!
In summer Moria burned, now Lipa. On 23 December 2020, the Lipa camp in north-western Bosnia burnt down almost completely. In one fell swoop, more than 1,000 people lost their roof over their heads and are now defenceless against the snow and cold.
Even before the fire, the situation for refugees in Bosnia was catastrophic: thousands had to hold out in forests and ruins.
At Croatia’s external border with Bosnia, all means are being used to prevent people seeking protection from entering the EU. The border police carry out pushbacks in which violence is systematically used. The German government supports this procedure – as recently as December, 20 vehicles worth 800,000 euros were donated to the Croatian border police.
Vucjak, Moria, Lipa – the names of the camps change, but what they show remains the same: the EU is committed to sealing itself off at any price!
We will not accept this any longer! On 30.01.2021 we will join forces and say loud and clear: We want admission instead of closure! We demand:
Switzerland and the EU must finally take responsibility. The makeshift reconstruction of tents in Lipa is not a solution for the people. Camps are not a solution. They are part of the problem!
That is why we are calling for a Europe-wide day of action on 30 January. Organise actions in your cities and municipalities under the motto Reception instead of Segregation, take our demands outside. Leave your mark in your towns and villages and show your solidarity with people at Europe’s external borders. Please stick to the Corona protection measures. It is now important to be visible and loud! See you on the streets and on the net!
We will stay loud until the EU’s external borders are no longer a lawless space! Because #NoPushbackIsLegal!
Action ideas: Put up signs in places in the city with a clear message, write slogans on the streets, paint banners and hang them up.
We talk on the phone monthly across the region and exchange information with known and new faces about what is happening in the local groups, about the political work on safe harbours, about public relations and networking and much more.
The participants choose the topics and shape the work and actions of SEEBRÜCKE Switzerland. If you want to be part of it, write to us at schweiz@seebruecke.org and we will send you the dial-in data.
We talk on the phone monthly across the region and exchange information with known and new faces about what is happening in the local groups, about the political work on safe harbours, about public relations and networking and much more.
The participants choose the topics and shape the work and actions of SEEBRÜCKE Switzerland. If you want to be part of it, write to us at schweiz@seebruecke.org and we will send you the dial-in data.
