Bucharest, 10th of October 2019
PRESS RELEASE
Petition ”Make 3rd October the European Day of Memory and Welcome for refugees and migrants!”
Novapolis Association–Center for Analysis and Initiatives for Development together with Municipality of Constanța organized on Thursday, 3rd of october 2019, the National Public Event, that aims to raise awarness and solidarity for immigrants and refugees and to promote the Petition to make 3rd of October the European Day of Memory and Welcome for immigrants and refugees.
3rd of October is a symbolic date, to mark the day when, in 2013, 368 people, including women, children and men, lost their lives in a shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa island. The 3rd of October will be a day to commemorate and reflect on these human losses, a day to remember the past, to correct the present and to promote solidarity and respect for all human lives.
In this context, many local authorities and non-govermental organizations from all Europe joined together to make heard the voices of all migrants all over the world, and to be part of a solidarity movement for refugees, and to make the 3rd of October a day to remember and welcoming in all Europe. Bucharest has joined too, together with the 27 capitals of the EU to draw attention to the problems of millions of refugees from all over the world, to call for more humanity and responsability.
During the National Public Event from Bucharest were debated topics like migration and the sustainable development goals, the management of migration in Romania and in Europe and the inclusion of migrants and refugees in EU societies. At the event were held short usefull interventions by the President of Novapolis Association, Iris Alexe,the General Inspectorate for Immigration, by the chief comissioner Larisa Mureșan, and by Dina Vardaramatou from Greece, representant of PRAKSIS, an NGO who works directly with the migrants and the regugees that arrive in the Greek islands by sea.
The central element of the National Public Event from Bucharest was the broadcast of the documentary film “Lampedusa in winter”, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, 93’, 2016, produced by: Jacob Brossmann and Nela Märki, a FILMLADEN, Taskovski Films Ltd. Finali Film & Wortschatz Produktion.
At the same time, the participants enjoyed different types of cultural and artistic activities, traditional music and dances, workshops for youth, thematic exhibitions of paintings „Diversity” and „Refugees” and also an exhibition of Arabic costumes and objects, with the support of the Romanian – PanArab European Cultural Center – CCERPA, Association „A Common Road for a Better World”, The Civic Resource Center Constanta, and the Romanian Association for Promoting Quality and Succesfull Practices Brasov.
The public and the participants at the event, had the opportunity to sign the petition „Make 3rd of October the European Day of Memory and Welcome for refugees and migrants!” and also they were encouraged to express their support in a creative way and to contribute to the dissemination of the messages of the campaign „No more Bricks in the Wall”, through videos, photos and interviews.
The event brought together besides the general public also representatives of the public authorities and embassies, non – governmental and international organisations, foreigners, refugees and asylum seekers, as well as students, pupils, teachers, from highschools and universities, Romanian citizens, artists, journalists, leaders from migrant communities and experts in the field.
The event in Bucharest was held at the same time with other public events organized in all EU capitals in order to increase the level of information and awarness at national level of the general public regarding migration and integration of migrants and refugees, promoting values such as solidarity, cooperation and human rights.
The Capital Event is part of the campaign „No more bricks in the Wall” developed within the project „Snapshots from the borders – Small towns facing the global challenges of Agenda 2030”, co- funded by the European Union through DEAR budget line (contract no. CSO-LA/2017/388-115). The leader of this project is the municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa, Italy and it has a duration of three years.
***For more information about the project http://www.snapshotsfromtheborders.eu/romania-projects/or Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/snapshotsfromtheborders/, mobile 0725 259 919, e-mail: asociațianovapolis@gmail.com, contact person Iris Alexe, national coordinator.
