BACKGROUND:

The American-Israeli massacre in Gaza has brought thousands of young people in the Netherlands on the streets to show solidarity towards the liberation struggle of the Palestinians. Last year, the black community in the Netherlands organised the first large demonstration against black Piet, besides this the fight against Islamophobia also started. This year residents in the Hague demonstrated against police violence, ten thousand people protested in Amsterdam earlier this year against racism – in response to the statements made by Geert Wilders: less, less Moroccans. The protest has brought together different organisations, with representatives from the black community, migrants, asylum seekers and Dutch institutions and organisations. There is a growing activism in the Netherlands in various fields. This is reflected not only in demonstrations, but also in public debates and social media. The activists are faced with similar problems: criminalisation in the media, deaf ears with policy makers, extremist tendencies in the movement that is trying to reach large groups of people, tactical problems with organisational development issues of strategy and tactics. As we experienced in the current crisis in Europe, they have the same enemies: a coalition of forces that prevents social changes. We are fundamentally against any form of racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Homophobia and Zionism. Xenophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Zionism have a common denominator: the legacy of a colonial past where superiority-inferiority is ingrained in the justification of unjust social, political, cultural and economic relations. That legacy is institutionalised in education, media, culture and public space where the superiority of Western culture is propagated. It is institutionalised in the labour market where discrimination prevents ethnic minorities to have an equal position. It is institutionalised in the daily habits and customs based on arrogance and superiority madness. It is institutionalised in political parties that have proposed racist programs and legislation’s.

FIVE ACTIVITIES:

The following organisations have taken the initiative to call activists from the various movements and to connect with each other. The initiative consists of five meetings with the purpose to exchange experiences in the social struggle, to learn from each other and to investigate how strategy, tactics and organisation can be coordinated. Each meeting has a specific theme that will be briefly introduced. Afterwards, participants will be divided into subgroups to facilitate the exchange of experiences and ideas, and make connections. Within each topic links will be established with other areas of social struggle (women’s struggle, LGTB, police violence). A plenary session brings the experiences together.

Sunday, August 31 14.00-17.00:

#1 International solidarity: the experience of the movement of solidarity with the Palestinians and other oppressed minorities in the Middle East (Ezidi’s / Kurds / Christians).

Sunday, September 21 19.00-22.00:

#2 Islamophobia: the experience of the struggle for Islamophobia on the social and political agenda and the forming a front against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Homophobia.

Sunday 5 October, 14.00-17.00:

#3 Zwarte Piet: the experience of the struggle of the black movement against racism.

Sunday, 23 November 14.00-17.00:

#4 Human Rights of migrants: the experience of the struggle for right to migrate and right to asylum in Fortress Europe.

Saturday, December 13 14.00-17.00:

#5 The connection: Making the connections between the different movements in terms of strategy, tactics and organisation.

LOCATION:

All meetings take place at the Nelson Mandela Centre, Eersteweteringplantsoen 2c, 1017 SJ, Amsterdam.

REGISTRATION:

For the meetings registration is required. You can register via the website: http://www.iisr.nl/CMS_V3.aspx?IDCMSNews=3

You will receive a confirmation email within 15 minutes.

For more information,

Sandew Hira (06-41.28.37.85) • Jille Belisario (06-25269800) • Mohamed Rabbae (06-30159220) Mustafa Ayranci (06-22202879 • Abdou Menebhi (06-55818828)

Or check our FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/tijdomteverbinden

ORGANISATION

Transnational Migrant Platform, International Institute for Scientific Research, Slavery Online, Commission For Filipino Migrant Workers (CFMW), HTIB, EMCEMO, National Council for Moroccans; Aknarij, Mad Mothers and Collective against Islamophobia and Discrimination, Fed Kom and Kurdish Platform