The Left Berlin News & Comment

This is the archive template

Category: Campaign of the week

Human Rights Film Festival Berlin

Around 40 outstanding, inspiring, touching and insightful documentaries


10/09/2021

Documentaries are a powerful means to inspire people and raise awareness of human rights violations.

The Human Rights Film Festival Berlin (HRFFB) returns as a hybrid on- & offline festival back to the heart of the German capital from September 16 – October 25, 2021. For 10 days, the festival will focus on stories from all parts of the world that vividly address and reflect on human action, the socio-political status quo and fundamental issues such as democracy, justice, freedom and environmental protection. Through discussions and Q&As with filmmakers, activists and experts, the festival creates a platform to gain new perspectives on our world.

The Human Rights Film Festival Berlin (HRFFB) was launched by the humanitarian and development organisation Aktion gegen den Hunger in 2018. The 2021 festival will be organised by Aktion gegen den Hunger in cooperation with Save the Children, and in partnership with Amnesty International. Each organisation has curated a selection of films, focussing on humanitarian aid and the fight against hunger, as well as children’s and human rights.

This year’s festival – under the patronage of the Saudi Arabian Human Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul – will be opened by Sundance winner SABAYA by Hogir Hirori.

Festival programme

16th September, 7.30 pm: Opening Ceremony

Opening speech by Lina al-Hathloul, human rights activist

As Loujain al-Hathloul has been banned from speaking publicly or continuing her activism for the next three years, her sister Lina al-Hathloul, who is fighting tirelessly for her sister’s freedom, will give the festival’s opening speech on her behalf.

Opening film SAYBAYA by Hogir Hirori

The so-called Islamic State attacked the city of Sinjar – murdering its men and kidnapping its women. Thousands are still being held captive as SABAYA (sex slaves). The men and women from the Yazidi Home Centre are their only chance to escape this hell.

#unteilbar

For a society of solidarity and justice


03/09/2021

On September 4th the #unteilbar demo will take place in Berlin, three weeks ahead of the German elections. We will be taking to the streets in a stand against racism and in a show of solidarity for social justice.

#unteilbar started in Berlin but has become an important rallying point throughout Germany. We are organized into anti-racist groups, the hospital and care movement, tenant initiatives, human rights organizations, anti-fascist groups, trade unions, charitable organizations, feminist and queer groups, the anti-war and the climate movement. Our broad alliance includes more than 300 organizations which signed our call-to-action. In 2018 we went ahead with our first #unteilbar rally in Berlin and brought 242,000 people from diverse political backgrounds together.

Solidarity – now more than ever

Social problems and injustices have dramatically gotten more acute in the last year. More and more people live in poverty or fear losing their livelihoods. At the same time, the consequences of climate change are becoming more and more dangerous. While hatred and racism become more and more socially acceptable, people are dying every day on the EU’s borders.

Now is the time to take to take to the streets and show that we are #unteilbar #indivisble

  • We demand decent working and living conditions and demand that education, healthcare and housing not be left to the market!
  • The rich should pay for the pandemic and accompanying crisis!
  • We fight for an antiracist and inclusive society, that makes society fair for all genders, in which everyone can participate and that is there for everyone!
  • We insist on forceful action against the climate crisis and on worldwide just access to Covid-19 vaccines.
  • We are for the right to refuge and asylm—Human rights are #unteilbar #indivisible

→ Join up, get involved and share this information!

→ Support us with a donation!

www.unteilbar.org

mitmachen@unteilbar.org [Facebook, Twitter, Instagram]

Donations to: Digitalcourage e.V. | IBAN DE41 3702 0500 5459 5459 39 | BIC BFSWDE33XXX

 

 

ViSdP: Lukas Theune, Karl-Marx-Str. 172, 12043 Berlin

Die Vielen

More artistic diversity! Voting rights for all!


28/08/2021

The next federal election will take place in less than two months. And this goes on without the votes of 14 percent of all the full-aged residents in Germany. That is almost ten million votes that AGAIN will not be represented. The reason is that we do not have German citizenship.

While politicians run their election campaigns for only 86 percent of all people living in Germany, we are silenced. While parties are buying votes with their deportation policies, expatriation strategies and border security three months before the election, the political means to fight for our rights are being taken away from us. We are being systematically invisibilized.

How can we talk about democracy when almost 10 million residents of Germany are excluded from the most important political instrument of every state solely because of their nationality? How can we talk about social, economic and environmental justice when the concept of citizenship still determines our rights? How can we talk about ‘one’ future when our future is still determined by the dominant society?

We are here and we take the space: That’s why we want to invite you to walk with us on Saturday, August 28th. Bring all of your friends with you and let’s speak out for the right to self-determination and the right to have a say. We would like to particularly invite people without German citizenship to make their own speech.

One of the main organisers of the action is Die Vielen (the Many). Die Vielen was founded in Berlin in 2017 as a non-profit association with the goal of strengthening and reinforcing artistic freedom in public and diversity and to work decisively against the increasing right-wing extremism in the areas of politics and society. Since then, DIE VIELEN have dedicated themselves to working toward an open and democratic society.

Die Vielen is also planning a nationwide week of action from 12th-19th September to draw attention to the number of people living in Germany who are excluded from taking part in the Bundestag elections. Activists from the fields of art and culture have engaged in a nationwide network for artistic freedom, diverse participation and presentation in the field of art.

This is important: but at least as important is driving forward the further development of democracy in a society that is growing more diverse as nearly 10 million people in Germany are prevented from voting because they do not hold a German passport. Voting rights tied solely to citizenship exclude people who have lived in Germany for many years from political decision-making and from making decisions regarding the shaping of a shared society.

This not only weakens democracy; it also provides greater weight to some 4.5 million votes with an extreme right-wing worldview and racist, nationalistic attitudes. In light of this, DIE VIELEN are supporting the call for voting rights for all with symbolic elections, surveys, poster campaigns and artistic inventions in public space.

Press Contact for the Campaign: Elisabeth Friedrich, Artefakt Kulturkonzepte
elisabeth.friedrich@artefakt-berlin.de / T +49.(0)30 44010 687

Climate Action Community

Bringing climate activists and organisations together


20/08/2021

Climate Action Community is a  community group and impact-oriented social enterprise that aims to help citizens move from climate anxiety to climate action through community empowerment, education, and collective action. We support and advocate for community-led climate action, engage with existing environmental and social justice groups and do outreach to concerned citizens with the aim of larger climate mobilization.

Our members are from all walks of life from students to DJs… everyone is welcome. We are a community of everyday folks who want to make a difference. Just come with an open mind, an open heart and get ready to get your hands dirty!

Want to get involved in climate action or social justice, but don’t know where to start? Climate Action Community is hosting a little festival on Saturday, 21st August at Haus der Statistik to connect activist organizations with Berliners offering up their skills and time to help build a better world for all of us.

Event Programme:
👚🔀 All-day clothing swap
👼🏹 Speed ‘dating’ for organizations
💬🫂 Climate café
🧆🍸 Food & drinks

Mor information and RSVP here.

Hosted by Climate Action Community, Haus der Statistik & MITKUNSTZENTRALE

Featuring:

  • Klimaliste Berlin
  • KulturLabor Trial&Error
  • Initiative 100% Tempelhofer Feld
  • Queer Trans Mutual Aid Berlin
  • Berlin Clothing Swap
  • Edible City Network
  • Give Something Back to Berlin
  • SuperCoop
  • Tatort Zukunft
  • Suere
  • FSWFrieda
  • Polis 180
  • And more to be announced!

To keep everyone safe and healthy, please bring proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative test, and a mask.

Sinema Transtopia

Transnational, post-colonial, (post-)migrant cinema programme


13/08/2021

Bi’bak is embarking on a cinema experiment at the Haus der Statistik.

SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA explores cinema as a space for social discourse, a place for exchange and solidarity. SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA brings together diverse social communities, links geographically distant and nearby places, the past, present and future, and decentres an eurocentric view through transnational, (post-) migrant and postcolonial perspectives. SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA is a transtopia, a place where “cross-border ties and connections converge, are reinterpreted and condense into everyday contexts” (Erol Yıldız). As part of the pioneering urban policy Initiative Haus der Statistik, the cinema experiment bridges the gap between everyday urban practices and film to create an alternative art form that connects different social perspectives.

SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA is funded by Haupstadtkulturfonds, Conrad Stiftung and the Programm NEUSTART KULTUR

bi’bakino

bi’bakino is a curated film program that focuses on transnational narratives, migration and mobility discourses in film and seeks to stimulate differentiated discussions and changes of perspective. The program highlights films from outside Europe that have often not been shown in Berlin before, as well as archive excavations and rediscoveries. Following the film screenings, moderated discussions take place with filmmakers and experts.

Past event series can be found in the archive.

Coming Events (more information here)