What we did | January23
This January ASCS celebrates 19 years of welcoming, encounters, faces and stories. For our birthday, the friends and girlfriends who accompanied us on this journey answered the question “What did ASCS give you?” Here are the words that tell the story of our work and values.
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Our 2023 begins by once again putting us in the footsteps of migrants: we were in Oulx from January 5 to 8 to learn about the reality of that border. This small town in the upper Susa Valley has found itself to be a crossroad for the transit of hundreds of men, women and children from Africa and the Middle East on their way to France. We met with the entities working at the border for people on the move and stood beside them in the experience of the weekend at the Borders. Other dates are available here.
Activities aimed at raising awareness continue, in Chieri, Grugliasco and Fidenza where we offered workshops in high school classrooms in various institutions in these cities.
Classes experienced meetings where volunteers proposed activities on the themes of freedom of movement, diversity as richness, in addition to proposing the role-playing game The Game.
“Where have human rights gone? Why is Europe doing nothing?” With this question in mind, we played The Game in Bassano del Grappa with young people from the policy school of Oltrevia at Villa Angaran San Giuseppe and also with the ASAI youth in Turin. This role-playing game aims to put itself in the shoes of migrants crossing the Balkan route: men and women reduced to pawns on a chessboard, moved by international agreements and interests. This workshop was born from an experience lived by a group of ASCS young adults along the Route with the “(Un)broken Humanity” project. From this experience, a book and a photo exhibit were produced.This month the photo exhibit was presented in both Vicenza and Bassano del Grappa in partnership with Migrantes Vicenza.
In Milan, there was the second workshop in the series of meetings of More Bridges Less Walls Remix entitled “Interweaving Looks. Open confrontation on the theme of violence.” An intercultural and intergenerational confrontation on the theme of violence and conflict.
Finally, on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at the Carmine Church in Milan, the meeting of Crossover23 “Sea borders and land borders: stories from Mediterranea”. With Mattia Ferrari, Vanessa Guidi, Luca Casarini and Leon Blanchaert of Mediterranea Saving Humans, we opened a dialogue on land borders and sea borders through the many testimonies. It was an opportunity to remind us that Another possible world we build together and with small great daily gestures of Humanity for a more open society.
In the area of integral reception, the year also begins with new proposed activities and services. In the Rome office, courses in Italian, driving school and more have resumed. On January 30 at the open day we took applications from old students and new friends, but some courses still have openings! Here is all the information. In Milan, the following have resumed: Italian courses and homework help – twice a week, our volunteers support boys and girls in their studies. Within the Wasi project, on the other hand, the the yoga meetings for migrant womenare at the moment composed by a beautiful group of 25 people!
Also in Rome, this month concluded the RICO 2 project, an acronym for Strengthening #Integration Building #Hospitality. This project is funded by the Ministry of the Interior – Asylum Migration and Integration Fund – promoted in partnership with Caritas Roma and Centro Astalli. The goal achieved was to support 130 holders of international protection in purpose-built pathways to socio-occupational, housing and relational autonomy. Listen to their stories here !
In order to organize interventions and actions, one must know and explore. Our cameraman Davide Pignata, this month, moved between Oulx and Trieste to understand what is happening in these borders that are so strategic and rich in stories. On Jan. 21, the “Facing the Balkans” assembly was held of which several friendly associations are members: ICS, ASGI, LDA Zavidovici, Along the Balkan Route, Alexander Langer Foundation, Altreconomia, Incoming Guests and Amnesty International. It was two days of discussion, updating and planning for what will be the new year. We have chosen Trieste, hosted by the Ics Ufficio Rifugiati Onlus, as a symbolic place from which to start again: the Italian-Slovenian border, even more so today, is the “balcony” from which to look out to “address” the Balkans even more. Concurrently, on Jan. 22, there was the first international screening of the documentary film about Italy’s rejections, “Trieste is beautiful at night.”
What are you waiting for? Do you want to understand more about migration issues? We look forward to seeing you at the meetings of Crossover to learn more about these issues with experts and witnesses, but you can also become a protagonist by proposing a bet in your area! For more information write to us at [email protected] and follow the episodes at this link!
If, on the other hand, you want to learn more about the world of migration going on the front lines, participate in our volunteer training course. Get all the information here!
The deadline for the current call for civil service has been extended until Feb. 20, 2023 at 2 p.m. If you are between the ages of 18 and 29 and want to gain service experience alongside migrants and refugees, join ASCS! All info at this link.
