The Left Berlin News & Comment

This is the archive template

Category: Campaign of the week

Tuntenhaus bleibt!

Save Tuntenhaus! One of the last & oldest gay/queer housing projects 👠


10/04/2024

WHO ARE WE?

For over 30 years, our Tuntenhaus has been a place of social cohesion and diversity: in this house, queer people from many parts of the world, who are often marginalised because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, could find a place to call home.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

In February, the Tuntenhaus building at Kastanienallee 86 was sold. This will ultimately lead to the displacement of the Tuntenhaus, due to expensive renovations and unaffordable rents. Our living space, a place of queer subculture with a 3-decade-long tradition, is in imminent danger.

WHY ARE WE IMPORTANT FOR BERLIN?

We are not only known in and outside of Berlin as a landmark of the gay and queer community. Our house project represents a side of Berlin that has become rare: a side of Berlin that has made subculture and collective living communities possible through affordable housing, thus creating a place of living and a safer space for queer and gay people. Through our affordable “kitchen for all“, our food distribution for disadvantaged people, and courtyard festivals, we contribute to the socio-cultural diversity and cohesion of our neighbourhood.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

The district of Pankow is examining and using its right of first refusal: its legal right to intervene and prevent the sale of the house. This could allow the Tuntenhaus to be converted into a non-profit or non-profit-oriented living space, if the Senate approves the funding.

WHAT DO WE WANT?

We want the commitment of the Berlin Senate to support the conversion of the Tuntenhaus into a cooperative through the blocked budget funds and loans of March 7, 2024. It needs the acquisition support from a non-profit buyer (e.g. IBB loans) and funds for the overdue renovation.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT US?

Tell the Berlin Senate how important you find the Tuntenhaus and that they must release the funds! Donate to save the Tuntenhaus! Contact us if you can help! Make our voices heard!

Donate Money
IBAN: DE 62 2004 1144 0161 3280 05

IS IT URGENT?

Yes, we only have until early May to save the Tuntenhaus through the right of first refusal.

EVERY DAY COUNTS!

 

 

Anakeb Communications Consultants

Everything starts with a story


03/04/2024

Anakeb Communications Consultants is a communications consulting firm whose mission is to combine diversity, uniqueness and ingenuity to address communication needs in a distinct and original style. Our aim is to get any audience to experience content, through its beauty and creativity. We strive to bring our clients a combination of the best possible communication solutions that stick.

Founded by two Palestinian multidisciplinary visual artists, the company champions local and inclusive services through a globalized team: that is, its consultant pool includes communication experts from different cultural, linguistic and geographic backgrounds.

Anakeb is the Arabic plural for spider. Our logo is inspired by a Palestinian embroidery motif from Gaza called: The Spider’s Web. Not only is the motif beautiful but the idea of the spider’s web in its intricate design, sticky nature and the fact that it attracts small and large prey played a role. Spiders have a sense of design, are industrious in building their homes and they think big.

We aim to reinvent the way we communicate, to put together stories that will boost your organization, brand, service, product and/or event. We guarantee that our storytelling will stick with your audience.

More information is available on our Website. Please check it out and follow us on Social media platforms:

“Anakeb” is plural for spider in Arabic. Spiders have a sense of design, are industrious in building their homes and they think big. If you want a communication job done right, get a spider to do it.

Voices4Berlin

Inclusive non-violent direct action group of LGBTQIA+ individuals for queer liberation 🌈🌍


27/03/2024

Voices4 Berlin is an inclusive, Berlin-based group of LGBTQIA+ people who use their privilege to actively promote global queer liberation through non-violent direct action. It was founded in response to the targeted, organized persecution of gay men in Chechnya, Russia. Our common goal is the global protection of queer people from persecution, discrimination and bigotry, and the recognition and enforcement of the rights and obligations that come with it.

On March 31st Voices4 Berlin is celebrating Trans* Day of Visibility at 90mil! We will have programming from 1pm onward including workshops, an open mic and a party with a line up of some of Germany’s best TIN* DJs. All programming will be donation-based and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Follow Voices4 Berlin on Instagram @voices4berlin and Telegram for more information as well as to stay updated on future events, demos, actions, and ways to get informed and involved ✨

For more information, you can follow Voices4Berlin on Instagram and facebook.

Stop political expulsion at Berlin universities

Urgent Call to Action: Students, Academic Freedom and Democracy under Attack


20/03/2024

Copy the linked template, edit it to your liking and send it to the representatives of your district. You can find their contact sorted by district here. If you disagree with something in the letter, feel free to change it, or simply write an email in your own words.

At the end of this text, we added  a template in English and German, that students can send to their professors, lecturers, academics, and research assistants asking them to also speak out.

Background  

On March 26, Berlin is debating a change to the Higher Education Act where “politically motivated expulsion” can be used as a disciplinary measure in universities. This not only threatens people’s right to stay in Germany, as visas can be tied to student status, but sets a frightening precedent of shutting down student political organizing and restricting academic freedom. They are quickly pushing this in during semester break, and leaving little possibility of organized opposition. We need a wide alliance of students and non-students to oppose the right-wing turn in Germany: WE CANNOT LET THIS PASS!

Why It’s Important for You to Send Out

By using this template to express your concerns, you contribute to the collective effort to protect the rights and freedoms of students and faculty members at Berlin universities. Together, we can make our voices heard and work towards a more just and equitable higher education system in Berlin.

Sign our petition

Petition ¡ Hände weg vom Hochschulgesetz: Politisch motivierte Exmatrikulationen in Berlin stoppen! ¡ Change.org

The actual law proposal

Siebzehntes Gesetz zur Änderung des Berliner Hochschulgesetzes (17. BerlHG-ÄnderungsG)

You can find the suggested mail to politicians and to professors, lecturers, academics, and research assistants here. Please take the time to send a message to protect academic freedom in Berlin.

Palestine Conference 2024

We Accuse!


13/03/2024

From 12-14 April we are organising the Palestine Conference 2024 in Berlin. As Palestinian, Jewish, German and international activists, we will publicly accuse the German government of aiding and abetting the genocide in Gaza.

You want to hold German politicians accountable for their support of war crimes? You want to resist the silencing in Germany about the genocide in Palestine?

Then make the Palestine Conference possible with your donation!

Together we can create the momentum and bring our movement into the offensive.

The Palestinians are suffering genocide. Israel is destroying Gaza and its population. While the International Court of Justice sees signs of genocide in Palestine, the German government increased its arms deliveries to Israel tenfold in 2023. In January 2024, with starvation looming in Gaza, the German government declared that it would stop its financial support for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. We cannot and will not accept this!

Together with voices of the Palestinian movement and the international community of high repute, we will denounce israeli apartheid, genocide and German complicity in this injustice. A broad germanwide alliance of Palestinian, Jewish and left-wing organisations invites you to show your solidarity with Palestine.

Here you will have the opportunity to enter into dialogue with confirmed guest speakers. Among them are Greece’s former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and Irish MP Richard Boyd Barret. Renowned journalists such as Ali Abunimah and Nerdeen Kiswani will provide critical insights. Doctors such as Ghassan Abu Sitteh, who treated patients in Al-Shifa Hospital during the bombardment of Gaza, will share their experiences. The UN Special Representative for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, will give her assessment of the situation in Gaza. Lawyer Nadija Samour will explain why she filed a lawsuit against members of the German government for aiding and abetting genocide with the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in February 2024.

In addition to many other speakers, you can expect workshops and seminars in which you can join in the discussion. The Palestine Conference creates a space for organising and networking. Based on a joint resolution, we will discuss future actions in the workplace, university, school, art and culture. A joint cultural programme and Palestinian catering will ensure community and well-being.

We need your help to make this possible at affordable ticket prices and to finance the journey for our international guests. Make a contribution so that we can say together in April 2024: We Accuse!