{ reclaim solidarity the idea behind the campaign

Who is the campaign: { reclaim solidarity is a bottomup project by leftist groups, small initiatives and organizations as well as individual activists motivated to shape it. The preparatory group consists so far of: United for intercultural action (Europe) Youth Human Rights Movement (Russia) Dur de! Say stop to Racism and Nationalism! (Turkey) Lassalle Centre Wroclaw (Poland) Foundation of Subjective Values (Hungary) Kampania Przeciw Homofobii, Campaign Against Homophobia (Poland) Never Again Nigdy Wiecej (Poland) Visual Culture Research Centre (Ukraine) Alternative Cultural Organisation (Serbia) Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Berlin (Germany) Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Brussels Office AG Russland (Germany) individual activists from Ukraine, Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria, Czech Republic and Belgium This group of activists is organizing the campaign and the kick-off event in an egalitarian process (see who we are -paper attached). Goal: The campaign shall create the sensation of a European, anti-racist, emancipatory leftist movement and to establish a clear all-European position against growing nationalist, right-wing populist, racist and

neo-fascist tendencies which are already even to be found inside governments. The campaign will be considered as successful if the common logo and slogan, the manifesto (see attached) and other materials that have been created throughout the campaign are being used by initiatives all over Europe. State of preparations: A manifesto, a logo and a slogan with high symbolic and recognition value have been created. They can be used in own activities and regional campaigns by all supporters all over Europe. The { reclaim solidarity campaign shall then kick off with a congress on June 6-10, 2012 in Budapest. The congress shall attract up to thousand grassroots and political activists from larger Europe. A public website will go online in November 2011. Highlights of the campaign could be activities that develop throughout Europe with much public impact such as mass rallies, large public events, internet happenings, petitions, rock for people events, human chains etc. It will be very important to seek support from independent European intellectuals and artists not only as figureheads, but also as active cocampaigners.

Contact: contact@reclaim-solidarity.org

Visit our website:

www.reclaim-solidarity.org

ROSA LUXEMBURG STIFTUNG

Supported by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Berlin

{ reclaim solidarity who we are and what we stand for

We are grassroots activists from various backgrounds united under the same cause. Being concerned with the recent right-wing backlash all over Europe, we want to raise our voices loudly and take action against racist practices, discourses and ideologies all over the continent, from Portugal to Russia and from Iceland to Turkey. We are all carrying out our daily struggles against discrimination in our communities, which manifest themselves in various forms of social exclusion: from anti-immigration laws to hate crimes, from nationalism to anti-Romani racism, from anti-feminist backlashes to homophobia, and from religious fundamentalism to anti-democratic state repression, the latter worsening during the current systemic crisis of capitalism. All European countries face the problem of social benefit cuts, privatization of the public sector and the toughening of labour legislation. In such precarious economic times, populist groups look for scapegoats to distract the public from the true causes of instability, using fear and hatred as a weapon. Still, neofascist movements, right-wing populists, mainstream politicians and racist ideologies widespread in the so-called political middle of the societies are channeling social frustration into anger directed against refugees, Muslims, LGBTQ people and other minorities. Looking at this concerning development also our political response and activities have to be updated. What we want to achieve instead is a society built on the principles of equality, solidarity and universal dignity. We urgently call for personal involvement in

decision-making on social and political issues. We demand equal social and political rights and civil liberties for everybody; such as freedom of expression and protest, healthcare, social services, housing and education not only for EU citizens, not only for citizens of all European states but also and especially for minorities, refugees and immigrants (with or without legal status). We need emancipation and self-empowerment of a vivid civil society. What we really want is freedom of movement instead of barbed wire fences set up around fortress Europe and immigration control regimes. It is our belief that the precondition for this kind of social transformation is peoples solidarity, awareness and efforts towards building a society based on selfgoverning communities that share responsibilities and resources in a sustainable way. This is why we launch the { reclaim solidarity campaign. The campaign unites under a common name and logo those people who share our vision of a more just society and believe that common action and protest is the method to bring about change.
{ reclaim solidarity is a grassroots campaign. It is run by the people who join it, not by anyone else. The campaigns focus is on networking, communicating, stimulating, raising awareness, supporting one another, and last but not least - direct action. All projects and actions that are based on the principles of inspiration, respect and critical analysis rather than on intimidation, patronage, corruption and immaturity can carry the { reclaim solidarity banner. Its an emergency: the only think one can do wrong is doing nothing.

{ reclaim solidarity manifesto 2012

Today, the face of Europe looks like an evil grimace. It is marked by political and social exclusion that manifest through hate and prejudices against others; in other words, minorities, whether they be Roma, Jews, Muslims, people with other sexual orientations, refugees and migrants, women, underprivileged groups, or people who feel like they belong to the left side of the political spectrum in their country and in Europe, as well as many others, including all national minorities. Against the backdrop of the nationalism that is rising up anew all over all of Europe and was believed to have been long vanquished, there have been pogroms, murders, persecutions, state racism, human rights violations of unforeseen magnitude and socially acceptable everyday racism. This can be blood curdling; [in Norway, in July 2011, this development culminated in the horrendous, bloody, mass murder of leftist youth.] Right-wing populism, fundamentalism, alarmingly wide-spread racism and misanthropic attitudes always need scapegoats to distract from the true reasons for the social and political decline in the respective countries and all over all of Europe. When the European economy is on the brink of collapse, many people are left without any opportunities what leads to marginalization. It takes away peoples hope and the freedom to decide how they want to live their lives. In a demagogic way, this national and European chauvinism blames the weakest amongst us, and claims that they are expendable and the cause of the general decline. The real reason for the crisis and social escalation

(namely, a dramatically expanding capitalistic world order with uncontrollably sprawling markets, as is intended by the leading industrial nations) disappears under the proverbial rug in the form of a simple, yet irrational scapegoat rhetoric. This is not our Europe. We have, still, a vision of a social Europe, created from the bottom up, in which people, beholden to political and civil rights, self-organize their lives together beyond marginalization and racism, beyond utilitarian consideration and moneyed interests, beyond practical (bureaucratic, economic and political) constraints, beyond neo-nationalist egotisms, in order to be able to develop in solidarity, love, trust and regard for nature as well. Amidst the roar of nationalism and the screams of demagoguery, we want to make this emancipatory leftist vision visible and audible in order to assist in a breakthrough in our countries. We believe that true democracy can only exist in common struggle for equal society with social guarantees for everyone. Our long-term goal is to establish a fair social order, as well as the respectful treatment of the planet we all live on, and the sustainable use of all our resources. Thats why we/I support the campaign { reclaim solidarity which will be started up by grassroots initiatives in 2012.

{ reclaim solidarity budapest 2012

save the date: June 6.10. 2012 Budapest

The { reclaim solidarity campaign will kick-off with a camp from June 6th to 10th, 2012 in Budapest/Hungary. This starting event shall attract up to thousand grassroots activists from all over Europe and leave room for talking, workshops and taking action for our vision of Europe on the principles of equality, solidarity and universal dignity. The congress with an extensive program with lectures, world cafes, open spaces, experience exchange, socializing, workshops, action preparation and working on topics, as well as a cultural program with concerts, theatre, poetry-slam, cinema a.s.o. will take place in a former pioneer camp. We will be preparing, determining and forming the campaign together. Those who want to join the preparatory team are very welcome to contact us: contact@reclaim-solidarity.org For the detailed program: coming soon / Your own suggestions are welcome Online application from February 2012 on

{ reclaim solidarity

{ reclaim solidarity

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