Dec 11, 2015
#StateofSolidarity: the call of activists around Europe
We all Have a Choice: Let’s Declare a State of Solidarity and Oppose a Culture of Fear
Almost 30 activists from Greece, the Western Balkans and the rest of Europe are calling on groups and individuals to mobilise on December 18 to support the millions of people who are suffering the simultaneous European crisis. The objective is to call for people to take action on the Global Day of Migrants, a week before Christmas.
Demonstrations are far from being the only option. Discussion rounds, especially involving refugees themselves, and/or to develop new strategies and broader networks, could be a perfect first step […] In response to the shock strategy and the abuses of a ‘state of emergency’, some of us produced a longer argumentation on the European political climate and a call for a #stateofsolidarity.
European politicians are using the discourse of the “refugee crisis” as a political tool to hide the actual crisis. A crisis that comes from decades of a failed European project where the demolition of the social welfare and the precarisation of the citizens have become the norm.
Now, at the doors of 2016, after a year that finishes with attacks in Paris, Beirut, Bamako, Tunis and on a Russian civil aircraft over Sinai; the closing of borders in the Balkans to most nationalities, and the rise of the extreme right among the European countries, there is a call for action on December 18.
Defend your Rights on December 18
Visibility of all these actions is vital. Therefore, along with #stateofsolidarity, we invite you to start using, for December 18, a common platform that advertises your events and movements as part of a transnational and broad coalition: this can be done through the form on this page. The text is available in French, English and Greek and is open to signatures of individuals and organisations.
Where does #stateofsolidarity come from?
In November 2015, a meeting hosted in Thessaloniki (Greece) gathered over 60 people representing grassroots groups from the Balkans to Calais and Melilla via Italy and Brussels. There, after discussion rounds, especially involving refugees themselves, we reached the conclusion that it is more important than ever to collaborate and unite our networks, grassroots organisations, activists and NGOs to achieve our objectives of fighting against the discourse of fear.
- Change4all
- SOSKonvoy (Austria)
- Transform! Europe
- Altersummit
- Migreurop (France, Calais)
- Prodein (Spain, Melilla)
- Center for Peace Studies (Croatia)
- Network of Antifascists of Zagreb
- No border Zagreb group
- Welcome to Denmark
- European Civic Forum
- Bündnis gegen Lager Berlin/Brandenburg (Germany)
- Solidar
- Euromed Rights Network
- Human Rights League
- European Alternatives
- Blockupy
- Dresden Balkan Convoy (Germany)
- Welcome2Europe
- Borderline Europe
- Solidarity for All (Greece)
- Athens Solidarity Clinics (Greece)
- Greek Forum of Refugees (Greece)
- Antiracist Initiative Thessaloniki (Greece)
- DIKTYO (Greece)
- KIA (Greece)
- ARSIS (Greece, Idomeni)
- let’s help the refugees togherer in Hungary
- ARCI (Italy)
- Legis (Macedonia
- FOSM (Macedonia)
- Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia (MHC)
- Miksaliste (Serbia)
- IDC (Serbia)
- Edukacioni Centar (Serbia)
- PresenceCounts-OccupyLjubljana (Slovenia)
- Antiracistic front without borders
- Multicider (Turkey)
- OSIFE
- Macedonian Young Lawyers Association(MYLA)
Political common action coming from all individuals, organisations, collectives and civic society movements joining their voices can be the first step culminating on December 18. Among the first signatories there are some European Alternatives activists: Alexandros Georgoulis (Greece), Angelina Giannopoulou (Greece), Anita Kynsilehto (Finland), Benjamin Bender (Germany) , Dimitris Kousouris (Greece), Gabriela Andreevska (Macedonia), George Souvlis (Greece), Katalin Erdödi (Hungary), Katerina Anastasiou (Austria/Greece), Katerina Kavalidou (Greece), Lana Simpraga (Serbia), Luca László (
We subscribe to the words on the State of Solidarity site, where they explain how the culture of fear wants to become the norm in Europe:
Is a culture that aims to leave us numb in front of tv boxes and screens, after exhausting and unfulfilling working days. A culture that wants us to look away when injustice happens and keep us fragmented in front of today’s global challenges. Within this trajectory we consider it crucial to visualise our solidarity and break the monopoly of fear. We choose to keep our eyes open looking for friends and not accept invisible enemies. We choose to feel, reflect and engage with the reality of life, of injustice, of struggle. […] We propose to all, to unite under the competitive narrative of a state of solidarity. Joining campaigns, actions and voices inside a narrative that hits directly in the heart of the matter. If we let fear win over our societies, the future will be taken over by it. Let’s create the space to collectively express our solidarity and messages of resistance. Let’s don’t let fear occupy our reality and future.
The aim of declaring a state of solidarity, is not only to defend democracy, social justice and dignity, but to achieve an space where people’s action supports the refugees and migrants movement. These people, fleeing war, poverty and violence have marched to the European borders, fearless and ready to risk their own lives. The Marches of Hope (#marchofhope) ignited a broad and transnational wave of practical solidarity.
Let’s reject together the solution that European leaders are trying to impose. Let’s say NO to blind violence, more surveillance, more fake security, more control, more suppression and repression, more oppression.
We hope to hear from you; feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome.
Let’s declare a #stateofsolidarity everywhere.