SCREENING OF THE THEATRE PLAY "THE BOAT" AND DISCUSSION WITH ITS DIRECTOR AND ONE OF ITS ACTRESSES

"The Boat" is a theatre play created, performed and recorded with the intention of broadcasting in 2021 on the Greek island of Lesbos. It is a play created and performed by the group "The Boat collective", which is formed by refugees and migrants who are or have been in Greece.

The play talks, with no words, about the journey that refugees have to make to get to Europe. Both the director and the actors of the play are people who are immersed in their migratory processes and this allows them to tell a part of the migratory process, the journey, at first hand.

The Iranian director of the play Iman Alidoosti Shahraki and the Afghan actress Masume Husseini will be present, and after the screening a discussion on the realities of migration and human rights will be held with the audience.

October 25th, at 19:00, in Oñati, in Kultur Etxea. (!! Due to the strike in the public services, the event will be held in Eltzia, 3rd floor)

October 26th, at 18:30, in Hernani, in Kulturarteko Plaza Feminista.

Organised by EREI elkartea, funded by the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the Town Council of Oñati.

CHALLENGES OF THE ASYLUM PROCESS IN THE MAIN EUROPEAN HOST COUNTRIES: ORIGIN AND RESPONSES

The association EREI has carried out a research work in the main European host countries, Germany and France, at first hand and from a gender and global perspective. For this purpose, we have conducted interviews with refugees in Germany and France. In addition to dealing with the migratory realities of the host countries, the research work also addresses the reality of the countries of origin, especially Afghanistan and Iran. At the same time, it gives an insight into the projects that are created in migratory contexts.

Two refugees who participated in the interviews will be connected online. They will talk about the migratory reality in Europe and about their projects and activism, promoting a discussion with the audience. Their words will be translated into Basque and/or Spanish.

Where: Okendo Kultur Etxea, assembly hall.
When: 14 June, Wednesday, at 19:00.

Organized by EREI, with the support of a grant from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

MIGRATORY REALITIES IN GERMANY AT FIRST HAND AND FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

In recent weeks we have been getting to know the migratory realities of Germany and France, at first hand and from a gender perspective.

In Germany, although we spoke with several people from different countries of origin, the majority were from Afghanistan, who currently live in different parts of Germany: Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Leipzig...

They told us about the situation and challenges of people in exile and also about the projects and activisms they have created to respond to these challenges.

CHALLENGES IN GERMANY...

• From the moment you ask for asylum you are sent to a camp. However, within the region you are transferred several times from one camp to another, creating an unstable situation and obstructing inclusion.

• The rules are strict and different in each region.

• You have to wait a long time to start studying German, especially since the war in Ukraine started. Refugees from Ukraine have priority in many areas.

• As refugees, we are destined for the work market in order to take advantage of our cheap labour.

• ...

AND RESPONDS TO THEM...

• Working group created by refugee women* for refugee women* to share our experiences and support each other. Also within the camps.

• Different movements in different German cities to denounce the oppression of women in Afghanistan and Iran through activism and art.

• As a refugee, going to different camps to inform and offer protection to asylum seekers in the camps.

• ...

We are carrying out this research project with a grant from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

MIGRATORY REALITIES IN FRANCE AT FIRST HAND AND FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

In recent weeks we have had the opportunity to get to know at first hand and from a gender perspective the migratory realities of France and Germany.

In France, we spoke with several people from different countries of origin. They are currently living in different parts of France: Paris, Caen, Vannes, Lyon....

They told us about the situation and challenges of people in exile and also about the projects and activisms they have created to face these challenges.

CHALLENGES IN FRANCE...

• In France, many asylum seekers have to live on the streets for the first few months.

• Access to health care as an asylum seeker is complicated.

• The government does not offer French language courses.

• ...

AND RESPONDS TO THEM...

• Many activisms aim to promote coexistence in diversity.

• To denounce through art the violation of women's rights in the country of origin, in this case Afghanistan

• To make the situation of refugees visible through the story of their experiences.

• ...

We are carrying out this research project with a grant from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

EREI IN THE BASQUE RADIO

Arantzazu and Miren Zubeldia Plazaola from EREI Elkartea have been in the Basque radio (Euskadi Irratia) talking about the association EREI. Starting since the creation, besides the activities that have been already carried out, they also talked about the projects that they will be working on in the next months. Among others, they presented the reserach work that will be carried out in France and Germany with the support of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council.

THE SHORT-FILM ASH IN KULTURARTEKO PLAZA FEMINISTA, IN HERNANI

The short film and tele-theatre ASH (ash) was filmed in the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, after the refugee camp burned down. It is directed by Afghan refugee Yadullah Mousawi and reflects the struggle of Afghan women through wordless performance art. ASH was premiered at the Muestra de Cine Social y Derechos Humanos de Asturias (MUSOC).

After the screening, we will hold a discussion via an online connection with its director Yadullah Mousawi and the journalist from San Sebastian Iñaki Agirre, who recorded and edited the short film, will be present.

WHERE: Kulturarteko Plaza Feminista, Hernani.

WHEN: 29 November, Tuesday, at 19:00.

Organised by EREI elkartea, with the support of a funding from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

SYNOPSIS

Afghan women fight in a battle for survival, the privilege of the most basic human rights. They do not storm against men. They change themselves to lead the world to change. They burn in a made-up fire of imposition, humiliation and discrimination. Their ash testifies their battles. This wordless performing art contains the words of a displaced refugee and the voice of a wanderer asylum seeker.

SCREENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY "NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUS US" AND DISCUSSION WITH ITS AFGHAN DIRECTORS IN SAN SEBASTIAN

The documentary "Nothing about us without us" of Refocus Media Labs was filmed on the Greek island of Lesbos and deals with the reality of migration on the island. The main characters are refugees and migrants who are immersed in the filmmaking training and give a first-hand insight into the situation on Lesbos.

The directors of the documentary are the Afghan journalists and refugees Nazanin Froghi and Yaser Akbari, and after the screening they will connect online for a discussion with the audience. In addition to sharing the details of the documentary, they will talk about the difficulties they face as Afghan journalists and refugees, also from a gender perspective. The words of the directors will be translated into Basque and/or Spanish and the documentary will be subtitled in Spanish.

Where: Okendo Kultur Etxea in San Sebastian, assembly hall.

When: 22 November, Tuesday, at 19:00.

Organised by EREI Elkartasunerako Elkartea with the funding of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

PHOTO EXHIBITION IN ELTZIA, IN OÑATI

From October 20th to November 20th, ?WHYBORDERS and Arash Hampay will be hosting a photographic exhibition about borders at @eltziataberna.

?WHY|BORDERS is a critical initiative created by refugee artists that questions borders. One of its founders is Arash Hampay, an activist from Iran and a photographer.

The exhibition consists of photographs by Arash Hampy and Afghan photographer Neda Torabi, and poems by Afghan activist and poet Parwana Amiri.

On Thursday October 20th, at 19:00, Eltzia taberna will host the opening event with Arash Hampay, to inaugurate the exhibition and talk about borders and migratory processes.

Organised by Erei Elkartea, with the support of Hotz Oñati and Oñati Town Council.

NADIA GHULAM IN DONOSTIA AND OÑATI

Autobiographical talk by the Afghan human rights defender, activist and writer Nadia Ghulam.

Nadia Ghulam was born in Kabul (Afghanistan) in 1985 and lived through the consequences of a civil war, hunger and the Taliban regime. However, she managed to survive thanks to her ingenuity and courage, pretending to be a boy for 10 years in order to feed her family. Thanks to the collaboration with an NGO, she arrived in Catalonia, where she has been living for some years.

October 4, at 19:00, in Donostia, Okendo Kultur Etxea.

October 5, at 19:00, in Oñati, Kultur Etxea.

Organised by EREI Elkartasunerako Elkartea with the funding of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

THE SHORT-FILM ASH IN THE CULTURAL CENTER OF OÑATI

The short-film ASH, directed by the Afghan refugee Yadullah Mousawi, will be shown in the Cultural Center of Oñati, through a cooperation between the associations Hotz Oñati and EREI Elkartasunerako Elkartea. After the show, we will establish a direct online connection with Yadullah, in order to talk about the short-film and to exchange opinions and impressions.

WHERE: In the Cultural Center of Oñati.

WHEN: April 6, at 19.00.

SYNOPSIS

Afghan women fight in a battle for survival, the privilege of the most basic human rights. They do not storm against men. They change themselves to lead the world to change. They burn in a made-up fire of imposition, humiliation and discrimination. Their ash testifies their battles. This wordless performing art contains the words of a displaced refugee and the voice of a wanderer asylum seeker.

TRAILER

EREI IN THE RADIO OF OÑATI

Miren and Arantzazu Zubeldia Plazaola, from the association EREI Elkartasunerako Elkartea, have been in the radio of Oñati (Oñati Irratia), talking about their last trip to Greece and informing about the interviews that they made there. Among other topics, they talked about the project that is financed by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and about the reality that refugees and migrants live in Greece.

THE SITUATION OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN A GLOBAL LEVEL

One of the aims of EREI is to make visible and give voice to the faces that are behind the numbers that are published by media, regarding migratory fluxes. That is why we work together with the people who are living at first hand the migratory realities. However, we also believe that it is important to analyse and communicate the global numbers, so that we can have an image of the situation of migrants and refugees in a global level.

That is why we have analysed the data published by UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and the Interior Ministry of Spain. In order to understand this data, it is important to explain who are asylum seekers and who are refugees.

Asylum seekers are those that have requested the recognition of the state of refugee and whose request has not been definitely evaluated. This evaluation determines whether those that requested asylum “need” international protection. Taking into account the 1951 Refugee Convention of Geneva, a refugee is any person who owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, gender or sexual orientation or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail herself/himself of the protection of that country.

Therefore, the people that look for international protection and seek asylum have to go through an evaluation that will determine if they really need international protection. If so, they will achieve the state of refugee and the consequent international protection. In some cases, the evaluation and the resolution of the asylum can take many months or years, which is what has happened in the borders of Europe in the last years.

It is important to highlight that every person has the right to seek international protection outside of their country of origin or common residence. The right of asylum is an essential Human Right, collected in the Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Taking into account the data published by UNHCR at the end of 2020, 82,4 million were forcibly displaced worldwide, as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order: 48 million internally displaced people, 26,4 million refugees (under UNHCR’s and UNRWA’s mandate, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) and 4,1 million asylum seekers.

At the end of 2020, 68% of refugees came from only 5 countries: Syria (6,7 million), Venezuela (4 million), Afghanistan (2,6 million), South Sudan (2,2 million) and Myanmar (1,1 million). 39% of refugees took refuge in 5 countries: Turkey (3,7 million), Colombia (1,7 million), Pakistan (1,4 million), Uganda (1,4 million) and Germany (1,2 million). 

In Spain, at the end of 2020, there were 207.064 forcibly displaced people, 103.679 of which were refugees and 103.385 asylum seekers. The main countries of origin were Venezuela (94.705), Colombia (24.720) and Syria (16.205). In Spain the number of asylum seekers per the number of refugees is bigger in comparation to the global trend.

During 2020, 41.861 people arrived in Spain through the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands, while in 2019, 32.513 people arrived. In 2020, 40.326 people (96%) arrived by sea and 1.535 people (4%) arrived by land, through Ceuta and Melilla. The 80% of the people that arrived in Spain were men. In their ways, 809 people died or disappeared, 18% more than the previous year. The five main nationalities of the people that managed to arrive in Spain were: Algeria (39%), Morocco (20%), Mali (13%), Guinea (8%) and Ivory Coast (7%)[1].

As for the data from 2021 (until the end of September), 28.304 people arrived in Spain by sea. 13.292 people arrived in the Canary Islands, while 8.746 people arrived in Andalucía. 2.468 people arrived by land in Ceuta and Melilla[2].

As for the asylum applications, during 2020, 88.762 people sought asylum in Spain and 68.435 asylum applications were rejected. Only 4.360 people obtained the state of refugee. The main countries of origin of the asylum seekers were: Venezuela (28.365), Colombia (27.576), Honduras (5.536), Peru (5.162) and Nicaragua (3.750). The people that were considered to be refugees came mainly from: Nicaragua (1.117), Honduras (688), Colombia (624), Syria (529) and El Salvador (41). In addition, 40.726 of the 88.762 asylum seekers obtained the authorization of the temporal residence in Spain due to humanitarian reasons. This authorization has a length of one year and it can be renewable. It consists of an extraordinary authorization of temporal residence due to exceptional circumstances. The majority of the people that obtained this authorization were coming from Venezuela (40.396) [3].

Regarding the data from 2021, from January until the 31st of August, 35.728 people sought asylum in Spain and 34.317 asylum applications were rejected. During the 8 months, only 2.924 people obtained the refugee status. The five main countries of origin of the asylum seekers were: Venezuela (6.488), Colombia (5.427), Morocco (4.212), Mali (3.334) and Senegal (2.418), while the five main countries of origin of the people that obtained the refugee status were: Colombia (912), Mali (534), Ukraine (419), Nicaragua (663) and Honduras (395). 8.754 asylum seekers obtained the authorization of temporal residence in Spain due to humanitarian reasons, most of them coming from Venezuela[4]. 

As for Greece, at the end of September of 2021, there are 164.009 forcibly displaced people, 103.136 of which are refugees and 60.873 are asylum seekers. In comparison to global trends, the number of asylum seekers per the number of refugees is bigger in Greece. This trend reflects the reality of the Greek border, where thousands are trapped for months or years waiting for the resolution of their asylum applications.

In Greece, the three main countries of origin of refugees are Syria (36.448), Afghanistan (21.456) and Iraq (11.840). In the case of the asylum seekers, the three main countries of origin are Afghanistan (19.706), Syria (5.965) and Pakistan (5.423) [5]. 

6.350 people arrived in Greece in 2021 (until the beginning of October), 2.373 by sea and 3.977 by land[6]. The arrival of refugees and migrants to Europe through the Greek borders has decreased in the last years, due to the closure of the Greek borders by the Greek Government, with the support of the European Union. In 2015, 861.630 people arrived in Greece, while in 2020, 15.696 people arrived. The trends show that this year the number will be even lower. 

We believe that this data can provide us more information to understand and to be more critical when analysing what is happening in the borders of Europe. In this case, we have focused in Spain, due to proximity, and in Greece, because the majority of the people that shared their personal experiences with EREI, did it from the Greek borders. We believe that being able to combine the numbers and the personal stories can help us to understand better the migratory realities.

[1]https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/84312

[2]https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean

[3]http://www.interior.gob.es/documents/642012/11504833/Avance_proteccion_internacional_2020_12_31.pdf/8f090c81-6b54-46fc-9ebd-858dc419869e

[4]http://www.interior.gob.es/documents/642012/13036726/Avance_proteccion_internacional_2021_08_31.pdf/a49e84c1-1e2b-4aff-980e-c6145caedcbd

[5]https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/88966

[6]https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean/location/5179