The many seasons of revolution across the Mediterranean

Two years after the beginning of the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, the symbol they provide of political change is embattled but still alive both throughout the region and throughout Europe. European Alternatives has been engaging in and following the changes in the South of the Mediterranean since the beginning, and believes not only that the outcomes of those political movements will have important implications for people living inside Europe but most importantly that progressive political change in the twenty first century involves transnational and cross-border dimensions which must not be neglected.For that reason our engagement has been in a trans-Mediterranean dimension, attempting to make comparisons and connections – whilst not neglecting important differences and diversities – between protest movements and calls for political change in Europe and in North Africa and the MENA region. This was the subject of a debate in Paris on 9^th February, which you can read about here and the transnational dimensions and implications for Europe of what is happening in Egypt are drawn out in this article marking the anniversary of the beginning of the revolution here.

The political assassination of Chokri Belaid in Tunisia earlier this month not only shocked us but also reminded us of the sacrifices made by less high-profile activists both inside Europe and more massively across the MENA region. For that reason we support the petition Revolt against political assassinationsFuture projects at European Alternatives involve bringing together activists from Egypt, Spain and France to exchange perspectives for collaboration and meet with European parliamentarians; a project on street art and revolution as part of the Cultural Innovators Network; and engagement through the Anna Lindt Forum in Marseille in April 2013.

Related articles:

From Tahrir Square to Puerta del Sol: what unites Arab and European social movements, Sarah Anne Rennick

Beyond the Battle of Alexandria, Gianluca Solera
The Bulgarian winter: between the devil and the deep blue sea, Mariya Ivancheva