UNITED E-News December 2023 - Looking back at our UNITED year
UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against #nationalism, #fascism and in support of migrants and refugees
A word from our Director, Balint Josa ,
As we are soon going to our well deserved winter break, we must reflect on 2023, where we found ourselves navigating through a landscape marked by significant challenges and profound resilience. This year cast dark shadows over our work at UNITED, with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent explosion of the war between Israel and Hamas, underscoring the urgency of our mission against nationalism and for peace. Not untouched or rather partly as a consequence of these conflicts, the rise of right-wing politics in Europe, seen in the movements of AFD in Germany, Georgia Meloni in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, and the complex dynamics in Slovakia, signals a worrying trend that demands our steadfast opposition.
Despite these tumultuous times, it's heartening to see a divided, but still political majority standing against this political shift, affirming the core values of solidarity and mutual respect that are fundamental to our network. However, the lack of a unified progressive vision on "our side" poses a challenge we must address as we move forward. Our messages are not heard enough. Maybe there is too much noise, maybe we speak with too many small voices, divided thus weak. Especially in these increasingly polarized times, especially on social media platforms that once promised democratization of knowledge but now often propagate hate and violence, our mission becomes ever more critical.
The year 2023 also marked a new chapter for UNITED. We achieved complete independence while maintaining our roots and the research on the “DeathList” in Amsterdam. Our resilience was tested in 2022 when we faced a gap year without direct or indirect funding. This adversity did not deter us; instead, we adapted by initiating relevant projects alongside our core program. Our strength only grew in 2023, securing more reliable funding and hosting our first live, face-to-face network conference since 2019. This gives me and the UNITED Secretariat hope and a base to operate and even, grow. We are not getting comfortable and will launch more projects and more calls for them.?
As we prepare for the 2024 EU elections, we recognize they are not just about political futures but also about the sustainability of the entire EU project, which we see as a far from perfect, but crucial peace initiative.?
Looking ahead, UNITED is committed to being better, bigger, and stronger. We aim to support our network with news, information, and inspiration, connecting and empowering everyone involved. Our focus is on being more open and present, engaging in effective communication with our network and close supporters.
We invite you to join us in 2024 and beyond. Your commitment, voice, and actions are vital in shaping a UNITED Europe and a world where diversity is celebrated, with unity as the bedrock of our society. Together, let's continue to confront the challenges and seize the opportunities to create a more inclusive, respectful, and peaceful world.
Together, we are UNITED.
Balint Josa
UNITED Conference RESIST RADICAL TOGETHER - Budapest 2023??
Looking back at the year that is closing, means also sharing with you all the main things that happened.
Firstly then, we must talk about the UNITED Conference happening in Budapest, the first in person conference after the break caused by the COVID19 pandemic. It's been a bliss from the start until the end, a great opportunity to reconnect, to assess and to commit together to the next steps of our Network, for our UNITED future.
It's difficult to summarise all the conference in few sentences, but we are happy to share with you some of the images and moments, that you can find in our Facebook album and in our Instagram stories highlights. Another conference is happening very soon in Italy, so don't miss your chance to join and contribute!
R2COM Mid-Term Conference and International Joint Panel
On November 28th we joined the hybrid Mid-Term conference of the R2COM project - Radicalisation and Violent Extremism Prevention in the Community , as part of our commitment against violent radicalisation and in support of the empowerment of civil society to find the tools and resources needed to address such phenomena, especially in particularly dense historical times, like the one we are in.
The conference was the occasion to share the main project results so far, such as the studies, the report and the platform itself (that you can find here and linked on our website), but it was also the chance for listening to renowned experts’ interventions, discussing the role that NGOs and CSOs can have in the P/CVE field, namely in after-care efforts.
Furthermore, on December 12th, the results of the project’s needs assessment were shared during an International Joint Panel, held alongside several experts from the partner countries.
The panel was the occasion not only to shre results but also to make some discoveries.
Did you know that we found some common features ranging from southern Europe to the Balkan region? Namely, we found common:
This made clear once again how NGO professionals require custom-made support and tools, to complement grounded knowledge on how to comprehensively prevent radicalisation.
领英推荐
This is precisely the reason why the project features an incredible online training course, which you can easily access by registering through this link: https://forms.gle/YWBC7jbqucpggCDS7
Our Statement of Concern over the Escalation of Oppression against the LGBTQI+ Community in Russia
We expressed our deep concern over the recent ruling of the Russian Supreme Court, which designates the “international LGBT public movement” as an extremist organization. This unprecedented decision significantly escalates the threats faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia.
The ruling does not include a concrete definition of what constitutes the “international LGBT movement.” This ambiguity grants the authorities broad discretion to target any individual or organisation that is perceived to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, posing grave threats to the already restricted rights and freedoms in the country and potentially leading to arrests, prosecutions, and lengthy prison sentences.
In this context, we urge the European Union to uphold all relevant fundamental human rights, including the responsibility to provide asylum for those escaping persecution due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.?
UNITED’s senior expert and representative at the Board of the Civil Society Forum, Julie Ward , said:?
“It is very worrying to see Russia further ramping up anti-LGBT legislation in a move which will undoubtedly lead to increased discrimination and fuel homophobic and transphobic hate crime. The ‘international LGBT movement’ means many different things to different people. However, it is not an organisation which can be governed or held to account by authorities, but a vibrant broad-based progressive socio-cultural phenomena that reflects a growing humanistic trend to make the world more inclusive and LGBT+ friendly. The designation of an amorphous social movement as ‘extremist’ is therefore nonsensicle but also dangerous, opening the way for personal prejudices and collective ignorance to hold sway in addition to state repression. The timing of this new law only months before a presidential election will also have a further chilling effect on civil society in Russia. The LGBT+ community in Russia and the diaspora must be supported in a sensitive and practical way during this difficult time.”?
UNITED stands in solidarity with all persecuted communities around the world and will continue to monitor the situation closely.? You can find the statement here.
News from the Network: ANACHOMA Documentary project
ANACHOMA Documentary is an independent documentary project dealing with the clandestine practice of Pushbacks alongside the Evros-Meric River, constituting the Greek-Turkish Land Border, and thus, “the border of hope” for many refugees and migrants who try to cross into Europe every year.
In total, the filmmakers collected over 30 interviews across the span of 3 years, and gathered visual material out of 20 locations, from Istanbul to Brussels.
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If you are interested in collaborating to make the world know about these stories, and to hold the bright light of a projector to the injustice witnessed for decades, please consider visiting the website and contributing to ANACHOMA, also by getting directly in touch with us at UNITED. The documentary was in fact put together thanks to the immense commitment and to the resources of the team. To make this hard work see the day of light though, they need the support of a broader community, of people who care. That’s why they started their crowdfunding campaign through? their website and social media handles.
Do you want to be featured in our Newsletter?
Our end of year Newsletter is always quite long, nonetheless we think it's incomplete without some news from our amazing and lively Network. For this reason we would like to invite all of you to send us your initiatives, projects, events, campaigns dedicated to contrast racism, fascism and nationalism? or in support of migrants and refugees at any level, so that you can inspire others and maybe find further support and resources for your work. You can drop an email to [email protected] and share your stories.
Supporting the Network
Talking about support within the Network, it's our pleasure to remind you all how it comes in different ways and modalities. One of this is surely the Annual Supporters Fee as well as spontaneous donations to UNITED work. All these contributions are vital to keep our independence and our strength and we are forever grateful to everyone who makes it possible, for these 30 years together, for 2024 and all the years to come. So thank you, we wish you all a great end of the year and see you soon! #stayunited!