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New Women Connectors is thrilled to take part in Europe’s first pan-european anti-racist festival, taking place from 10-17 October. The #MakeRacismHistory Festival, organised by the European Network Against Racism - ENAR, will celebrate racialised communities across the continent and collectively reflect on a world where racism is a thing of the past.
New Women Connectors and the Ivorian Community of Greece will be co-hosting a two part story-telling event on 13th and 15th of October: Our Diaries - the untold stories of migrants and refugees.
We will create a space in which refugees and migrants can reclaim the ownership and authorship of their own stories to build a positive and empowering narrative about migration in relation to racism. The events will showcase the untold stories of refugees, through their own voices and by their own means.
These storytelling events will take place in Athens, Greece on the 13th of October, and in Utrecht, Netherlands on the 15th of October.
For more information about time and place of the event:
Our Diaries in Athens: https://fb.me/e/1hOqKrv49
Our Diaries in Utrecht: https://fb.me/e/2TShHOLw2
The event in Utrecht on the 15th of October will include the screening of In Your Eyes, a documentary about migrants in Europe by Sandra Alloush, syrian refugee, journalist, documentarist and Ambassador of New Women Connectors, in collaboration with Enrique Tessieri, editor of Migrant Tales, a community blog founded in 2007.
In Your Eyes will also be screened in Brussels, Belgium on the 17th of October. The screening will be accompanied by a conversation with the filmmaker during an event co-hosted by New Women Connectors and Migrant Tales.
The #MakeRacismHistory Festival is happening across Europe, come celebrate it with our network:
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – 1-28 October: Black History Month Luxembourg, the country’s first ever, will be a chance to celebrate renowned historical figures, acknowledge modern accomplishments, and contemplate the ongoing challenges encountered by the black community in Luxembourg. Throughout the month, several conferences, art exhibitions, live performances, film screenings, and a Black African market will take place that aim to foster connections with local organisations, as well as establishing an active and visible network. Hosted by One People.
Dublin, Ireland – 8-15 October: Black History Month Ireland (BHMI), also known as Africa History Month Ireland (AHMI), is a national observance in Ireland aimed at continuing the legacy of diversity education, cultural tolerance, and community inclusion that began in 2010 in Cork City. BHMI/AHMI fosters relationships between Ireland and African heritages in various aspects, including arts, democracy, human rights, and sustainable development, through a month-long celebration held annually in October. Hosted by Africa-Irish Development Initiative (AIDI).
London, United Kingdom – 10-12 October: Started in 2020, Black Tech Fest is Europe’s largest event of its kind, 3 days dedicated to celebrating Black culture and its influence on technology. Convening Black talent, allies and the world's leading tech companies to connect, network, and discover. ENAR will be leading 4 panels during the event.
Sofia, Bulgaria – 10 October: #MakeRacismHistory Sofia plans to bring attention to the often overlooked issue of racism in Bulgarian society, which is rarely addressed by NGOs and remains largely unnoticed by the public. Activities will involve discussions on the harmful effects of racism in various aspects , alongside personal stories from those who have experienced it, culminating in a collective exploration of solutions involving organisations, collectives, and activists. Hosted by Multi Kulti Collective.
London, United Kingdom – 11 October: “32 Steps to Togetherness” is a project that provides individuals with a practical roadmap to build connections within and between communities. It aims to inspire individuals to foster a sense of togetherness, equip CSOs with a valuable resource to combat social fragmentation, create an anti-racist community around the manual to facilitate future civil society collaborations, and ultimately, to strengthen social cohesion by promoting inclusivity within communities. Hosted by European Network on Religion and Belief (ENORB).
Vienna, Austria – 12 October: AEWTASS Showcase Event focuses on celebrating achievements of AEWTASS and present educational materials produced by Black individuals for the Austrian education system, as well as address the topic of combating racism within the school system, particularly concerning the depiction of Africa and the diaspora. Hosted by Vienna Institute for the African Diaspora (VIAD).
Nicosia, Cyprus – 13-14 October: Representation matters! initiative seeks to emphasize the positive influence of representation and diversity in children’s literature, media, and toys on child development, by raising awareness among parents and educators from various communities. Aligned with the festival’s theme, #MakeRacismHistory, it addresses representation and its future implications for children’s perspectives on diversity, emphasizing its significant impact on choices in both racialized and non-racialized communities while also celebrating past achievements and advocating for continued progress. Hosted by Generation for Change CY.
Helsinki, Finland – 14 October: FEM-R x ARF 2023: ANTI-RACIST FUTURES – Beyond Survival Towards Meaningful Communities – Anti-racist activists and accomplices have been working for a more anti-racist Finland for years. Recent counter-productive public debates around racism, and the stance of the current government exacerbated the need to form coalitions and take care of each other. During the event, Fem-R and ARF will explore the state of the anti-racist movement in Finland and how we can move toward anti-racist futures from different angles. Hosted by Anti-Racist Forum (ARF) and Fem-R.
Athens, Greece – 17 October: Solidarity and Support to Civil Society in Greece aims to bring forward the opinion of the migrant and refugee communities in the spotlight. The conversations and workshops deliveredc by the human rights defenders will focus on structural racism, migration and shrinking civic space from the scope of the migrant communities. Hosted by Greek Forum of Migrants.
And together, across Europe, let's #MakeRacismHistory.