MINELRES: CfA: UNITED Conference in Yorkshire (UK), 2-7 June 2009
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[email protected]
Wed Feb 11 18:34:42 2009
Original sender: UNITED <[email protected]>
**Deadline for nominations 19 April 2009**
UNITED E-NEWS 06/02/09:
UNITED Conference in Yorkshire (UK), 2-7 June 2009
'UNITED We Can Do It! Civil Society Against Right Wing Extremism'
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Contents of this E-news:
- Call for nomination
- Description and aims
- Program (draft)
- Technical Info
- Expression of interest e-form
************************************************
Dear colleagues and friends,
Please find below the information and nomination form for our next
UNITED Conference,
'UNITED We Can Do It! Civil Society Against Right Wing Extremism', 2-7
June 2009, in Yorkshire (UK)
Conference prepared by:
* Minority Rights Group International (UK)
* Show Racism the Red Card (UK)
* No Border Project - Social Action Centre (UA)
* People Against Racism (SK)
* SOS Against Racism (DK)
* Youth Fabric - Ungdoms Fabrikken (N)
* University of Venice (I)
* UNITED for Intercultural Action
With the support of:
* European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe
* Commission of the European Union - Grundtvig Programme
This conference is part of the partnership project 'Civil Society
Against Right-Wing Extremism' (*)
All information and the e-nomination form can be found below, and soon
on our website.
If your organisation is interested to nominate a representative, please
return the expression of interest form (below) as soon as possible
(deadline 19 April 2009), preferably by email to
[email protected]
- Please fill in the form below completely providing all data as
requested. If you invest more effort in the application it has more
chance to be successful!
- Each organisation can nominate only ONE representative (living in
Europe).
- Priority will be given to nominations from young delegates (under 30
years old) with a minority background
- Sending this form to UNITED does not guarantee that you will be
selected for the conference - we receive many nominations.
- Candidates will be will be informed about the result of their
selection via e-mail around the 27th April 2009.
Best wishes,
Geert Ates
UNITED
*************************************************************
UNITED CONFERENCE 2-7 June 2009 in Yorkshire (UK)
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
DESCRIPTION AND AIMS:
With the forthcoming European Parliamentary Election in June 2009, far
right political parties and right-wing extremist groups, will receive
media attention across Europe. The European right-wing extremist
movements will use this occasion to mainstream their fascistic and
militant ideologies. Sensational headlines and reports in media will
focus on the notorious reputation of the far right. However, the past
has showed that this kind of media coverage reflects little on the
experience of minority communities themselves, who are 'living' with the
far right not just through headlines, but here and now.
The realities of intimidation, violence and a climate of fear that many
minority communities experience, does not just exist in a vacuum created
by an extreme fraction of society. It interacts alongside broader
experiences within society as whole, namely racism and social exclusion.
When addressing the issues that challenge a multicultural society, such
as racism, migration and even conflict, the purpose and realisation of
minority rights inevitably come into question.
The challenge for a multicultural Europe, in holding back right-wing
extremism and at the same time building the capacity of minority
communities in Europe through its civil society, will be at the heart of
this forthcoming conference. In order to create solutions to these
challenges, European civil society needs to analyse these issues
together and more importantly, develop, share and disseminate good
practice.
UNITED We Can Do IT!
The international UNITED Network Conference 'UNITED We Can Do It! Civil
Society Against Right Wing Extremism' will take place in Yorkshire (UK),
2-7 June 2009. The conference intends to provide the forum and working
environment to address these challenges, through practical analyses and
learning.
Yorkshire offers a very relevant context for this conference, as in
2000/2001 major riots between majority and minority ethnic communities
took place within the region. The far right political party BNP (British
National Party), who played a significant role in provoking the violent
riots between the communities, gained, as a result, a substantial number
of local council seats across the region.
Since 2001, significant work has taken place, addressing the causes and
impacts of the riots and a lot of good practice has been developed.
Still, the BNP is very active in spreading hate and is targeting the
region for a European Parliamentary seat. Right-wing extremist parties
across Europe, such as the BNP, manipulate the understanding of minority
rights and present these rights as exceptions and favouritism towards
minority communities at the expense of 'natives'. Particular in poorer
communities and during economic crisis such as the one we are currently
facing, where labour, resources and welfare can become sites of
competition, far right groups seek to create divided communities where
both sides perceive themselves as victims and each other as enemies -
this is the breeding ground for extremism, hate and violence.
The conference will, through working groups, plenary sessions and
workshops, look at specific issues, such as far-right in elections,
institutional racism, methods and good practices of tackling right-wing
extremism, the experience of migrants in Europe, hate speech and the
role of the media, the capacity of minority communities in civil
society, sub-cultures and the relationship between conflict and
propaganda. Utilising the diversity of the international UNITED Network,
its supporters and experts in the field across Europe, the conference
will use the sharing of good practices to develop important tools and
methods to address these relevant issues and build a stronger and more
effective civil society.
Through the working groups below, issues like the ones mentioned earlier
will be discussed. Your contribution will be valuable....
* Vote for HOPE! Combating the Political Right
How to deal with the increasing influence of the political right in
Europe by looking for transferable approaches to push back the extreme
right.
* Get it Moving: Mobilising Youth for Social Actions
The involvement of the passive majority: tools and strategies.
* Build it Up! Empowering Minority Communities
How to build capacity of minority communities within civil society.
* Breaking News! No Platform for Hate in the Media
Hate speech and its manifestation in the media.
* The Unwanted: Normalisation of Anti-refugees Prejudices
Migrants are facing discrimination and xenophobia, we want to analyse
societal and institutional mechanisms leading to exclusion
* Beat the System! Strategies to Combat Institutional Racism
How to address sources of discrimination and counteract Ethnic profiling
mechanisms.
UNITED is the largest pan-European anti-racist network of more than 560
organisations. Through its conferences anti-racist and human rights
activists from all parts of Europe meet and discuss effective ways of
combating racism and discrimination. At a recent UNITED conference held
in November 2008 in Belgrade (RS) more than 63 delegates representing
organisations from 29 European countries analysed the current political
situation in Serbia, how to fight institutional racism, involvement of
churches in wars, fundamentalisms, how to tackle nationalism and
developed common strategies to improve cooperation and promote
tolerance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
PROGRAM (draft)
TUESDAY 02 JUNE
Arrival of participants - Until ca 17.30
16.00 - GET DOCUMENTED! - Registration of participants
20.00 - 'Breaking the Blocks', Informal opening reception
WEDNESDAY 03 JUNE
09.30-11.00
* Welcome
* What is the UNITED Network
* The 'Civil Society Against Right-Wing Extremism' project
* Presentation of the national hosts:
Minority Rights Group International & Show Racism The Red Card (UK)
* Program/team/technicalities
* Personal introductions of participants
11.15-12.30 'THE DANGER OF WORDS'
Definitions and concepts most used in anti-racist / anti-discrimination
work
- Discussion groups -
14.30-16.00 KEY ISSUES AND RACISM IN THE UK
* Political Landscape in the UK
* Racism in Sport
- Presentations and questions -
16.15-18.00 THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
- Introduction of key issues -
A. Vote for HOPE! Combating the Political Right
B. Get it Moving: Mobilising Youth for Social Actions
C. Build it Up! Empowering Minority Communities
D. Breaking News! No Platform for Hate in the Media
E. The Unwanted: Normalisation of Anti-refugees Prejudices
F. Beat the System! Strategies to Combat Institutional Racism
20.30 INFO MARKET
Present your Organisation, with the participation of regional NGOs
THURSDAY 04 JUNE
09.30-11.00 RECIPES FOR ACTION - GOOD PRACTICES
* Living Library
* Working with the Media
- Project presentations and questions -
11.15-12.30 Continuation of the THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
- sharing practices -
14.30-16.30 ROLE OF SUBCULTURES
* Music against Racism
* Campaign Against Homophobia
* Being an Antifascist
- Presentations and questions -
16.45-18.30 Continuation of the THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
- sharing practices -
18.30-19.00 HATE SYMBOLS IN PUBLIC SPACE
Presented by OSCE - ODIHR (tbc)
- presentation and questions -
21.00 POLITICAL CAFE
optional
FRIDAY 05 JUNE
09.30-11.00 Continuation of the THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
- developing strategies -
11.15-12.30 RESULTS OF THE THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
- Presentation in plenary -
14.30 FREE AFTERNOON
* Visit to community project in Sheffield
* Guided tour in Sheffield
20.00-22.00 DINNER IN SHEFFIELD
22.00 FREE EVENING
optional: Movie / Political Cafe
SATURDAY 06 JUNE
09.30-11.00 GET ACTIVE, BE UNITED
- Introduction to the workshops -
11:15-12:30 GET ACTIVE, BE UNITED
- Workshops -
1. Get Active and UNITED
2. How to Deal with Hate Graffiti and Hate Symbols
3. Tackling Hate Speech Online
4. Capacity Building for your Organisation
5. Inspiring the Others to Join the Fight
14:30-16:15 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPAGANDA & CONFLICT
* An example from Northern Ireland
* An example from Cyprus
* An example from Caucasus
- Presentations and questions -
16:30-17:00 A MATTER OF BELIEF
Testimony
- Plenary session -
17:00-17:30 OPEN FORUM
with contributions of participants
- Plenary session -
17:30-18:30 EVALUATION & OFFICIAL CLOSING of the conference
- Plenary session -
20.30 INTERCULTURAL EVENING & FAREWELL PARTY
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
Departure of participants
---------------------------------------------------------------
TECHNICAL INFO:
Working methods
.. plenary sessions, working groups, lectures, workshops, political
cafe's, presentations, debates, intercultural 'games', information
market, cultural activities, open forum.
Participants
The conference is planned for approximately 70 participants (living in
Europe) who represent (inter)national anti-racist, anti-fascist,
refugee, human rights and minority rights organisations. Active
grass-roots groups from all over Europe are also invited. Participation
is rotated from one conference to another. Priority will be given to
nominations from young delegates (under 30 years old) with a minority
background. Preference is given to those organisations that actively
take part in UNITED campaigns. Participants should act as multipliers,
spreading the information to as many people as possible. We will try to
reach an equal balance of female/male participants and a good
geographical distribution.
Each organisation can nominate only ONE delegate.
Language
The conference language is English. All participants are expected to
have at least basic knowledge of English. But don't worry, English is
almost nobody's mother tongue. If you have difficulties in expressing
yourself, surely we can help each other.
Financial conditions
Participation fee - travel costs
The participation fee of the conference depends on the country where the
nominated organisation is based:
120 Euro for participants from group 1:
A, B, CH, CY, D, DK, E, F, FL, FIN, UK, GR, I, IS, IRL, L, M, N, NL, P,
S
70 Euro for participants from group 2:
BG, BH, CZ, EE, H, HR, LV, LT, MK, MNE, PL, RO, RS, SI, SK, TR, XZ
40 Euro for participants from group 3:
AL, ARM, AZ, BY, GE, KZ, KY, MD, RUS, UA, UZB
Full board & lodging and the complete program is included.
Organisations that paid their 2009 supporter fee to the UNITED Network
will receive a 50% reduction of the participation fee. (how to become a
supporter)
Contribution to international travel costs
Participants travelling from group 1 - except UK
(A, B, CH, CY, D, DK, E, F, FIN, GR, I, IS, IRL, L, M, N, NL, P, S):
UNITED can contribute maximum 75% to the costs of your travel, not more
than 180 Euro.
Participants travelling from group 2
(BG, BH, CZ, EE, H, HR, LV, LT, MK, MNE, PL, RO, RS, SI, SK, TR, XZ ):
UNITED can contribute maximum 90% to the costs of your travel, not more
than 250 Euro.
Participants travelling from group 3
(AL, ARM, AZ, BY, GE, KZ, KY, MD, RUS, UA, UZB):
UNITED can contribute maximum 90% to the costs of your travel, not more
than 350 Euro.
Participants travelling from UK :
UNITED can contribute maximum 50% to your travel costs (train, bus), not
more than 100 Euro.
Please look for the cheapest and most environmentally friendly
possibility to travel. We strongly encourage you to travel by train,
bus, boat or other cheaper means of transport to Sheffield. In order to
be eligible for a contribution to your travel costs you will be expected
to attend the whole meeting and to prove your travel expenses providing
an original invoice and the original tickets to UNITED.
The cost of your visa can be reimbursed by UNITED on the base of an
original invoice from the Embassy.
UNITED conferences can only take place when participants make an effort
to contribute financially to their travel costs. We ask you to find out
if there are alternative possibilities of funding your participation.
Sometimes it is possible to find small local grants (e.g. a travel grant
from a foundation, a university, an embassy or another sponsor). We
would very much appreciate your help.
Since we have limited sponsored places, delegates that can cover (part
of) their own travel costs have a higher chance to be selected.
Date and place
The conference will take place in Yorkshire near Sheffield and will
start on Tuesday afternoon 02 June 2009. Departure is foreseen for
Sunday 7 June 2009.
We will make use of simple accommodation, and you will share a room with
5 other people.
If you wish to arrive earlier or stay longer (on your own costs), we can
help you to arrange your stay.
Further information
Please, note that sending the expression of interest form does not
guarantee your participation in the conference.
Only those candidates selected for participation (this will be known at
the end of April) will receive further information e.g. visa invitation,
explanation 'how to get there', a final program, list of participants,
etc.
All candidates will be will be informed about the result of their
selection via e-mail around the 27th April 2009.
Application procedure
Organisations interested in nominating a delegate should send their
nomination (Expression of Interest form below) by email before the
deadline:
Sunday 19 April 2009 - 24:00 to [email protected]
(*) Civil Society Against Right-Wing Extremism
Partnership
'Civil Society Against Right-Wing Extremism - Developing New
Lifelong-learning Strategies for NGOs' is a 3 year project supported by
the Grundtvig Programme of the European Commission and implemented by
UNITED for Intercultural Action in partnership with:
* ARI Immigrant Association Rieti, Italy
* DUHA - Rainbow Association, Czech Republic
* Kulturbuero Sachsen, Germany
* Movement Against Intolerance, Spain
* MTP Oradea, Romania
* Never Again Association, Poland
* Norwegian People's Aid, Norway
* People Against Racism, Slovakia
* University of Venice, Master on Immigration Programme, Italy
This project was developed after many years' experience of the UNITED
network in antidiscrimination campaigns and deep analysis on the current
trends of European civil society active in the fight against right-wing
extremism, racism and discrimination.
Experience shows that despite the quantitative and qualitative work done
by many organisations active in this field, many NGOs have little
knowledge about democratic institutions and processes. Nevertheless,
there are effective ways to tackle discrimination at its local and
regional level through innovative and informal learning strategies.
There are as well ways to give the best practices a European dimension.
The aim of the project is to create a space for antiracial adult
education and make it qualified, available and accessible throughout
Europe. The objectives are: the creation of feasible ways to enhance the
work of local grassroots groups and NGOs active in the field of
antiracial education, their training as learning facilitators in
antiracial education, and the counterbalance of the unevenness in
antiracial fight Europe-wide. The project has as its direct target group
precisely NGOs activists. Ultimately, the project is also expected to
reach-out the NGOs' target groups, mainly disadvantaged social
categories with less opportunities to access education else where. The
main activities envisaged include identification, selection and
dissemination of best practices in the antiracist field, conferences,
workshops and campaigns, which will bring the following outputs:
publications, handbooks, info leaflets, web-pages and campaigning
material.
---------------------------------------------------------------
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:
UNITED Conference:
'UNITED We Can Do It! Civil Society Against Right Wing Extremism!'
2-7 June 2009 in Yorkshire (UK)
Name organisation:
Name organisation in English:
Abbreviation name organisation:
Organisation's address:
Street:
Postal code:
City:
Country:
Phone organisation:
Mobile phone organisation:
Fax organisation:
E-mail organisation:
Website organisation:
First name delegate:
Family name delegate:
Date of birth:
Male: Female:
Private e-mail delegate:
E-mail address to send conference documents:
Personal phone/mobile where you can be reached in emergencies:
Phone:
Mobile phone:
Special needs (vegetarian, no pork, allergies, disabilities etc.):
Do you consider yourself to be part of a minority?
No:
Yes: (please, specify)
Motivation and aims for participating:
Please describe the work you are doing and the specific projects you
have been involved in:
Describe your skills (eg. leading a working group, reporting):
What languages can you work with?:
Indicate the field(s) of your activity:
put a cross before the relevant field(s)
[ ] Anti-nationalism
[ ] Anti-racism
[ ] Anti-fascism
[ ] Migrant / minority rights
[ ] Refugee support
[ ] Human rights
[ ] Youth work
[ ] Roma issues
[ ] General Discrimination
[ ] Other:
Which working group would you like to attend?
Indicate only two priorities; put '1' (first priority) and '2' (second
choice) before the relevant working groups
[ ] A - Vote for HOPE! Combating the Political Right
[ ] B - Get it Moving: Mobilising Youth for Social Actions
[ ] C - Build it Up! Empowering Minority Communities
[ ] D - Breaking News! No Platform for Hate in the Media
[ ] E - The Unwanted: Normalisation of Anti-refugees Prejudices
[ ] F - Beat the System! Strategies to Combat Institutional Racism
Please explain your choice and describe in which way you could
contribute to these 2 working groups:
Have you personally experienced racism and/or discrimination?
No:
Yes: (please, specify)
How will you share the experience of the conference after your return in
your organisation, community, country?
Would you need financial support from UNITED for your travel costs?
[ ] No, I / My organisation will cover the travel costs
[ ] Yes
If yes:
How much will be the total costs of your travel to Sheffield? ..........
Euro
Country/City you will start your travel from:
How much contribution would you need from UNITED? .......... Euro
Before answering this question please read the maximum contribution to
travel costs, under technical information
Since we have limited sponsored places, delegates that can cover (part
of) their own travel costs have a higher chance to be selected.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
For those who will need a visa:
First name (as it is written in the passport):
Family name (as it is written in the passport):
Private address of the delegate:
Street:
Postal code:
City:
Country:
Place of birth:
Country of birth:
Citizenship:
Number of passport:
Passport valid until:
British embassy where you will get your visa (city/country):
Fax, phone of British embassy where you will get your visa:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please send this form as soon as possible by e-mail to:
[email protected].
Deadline 19 April 2009
Candidates will be will be informed about the result of their selection
via e-mail around the 27th April 2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------
***********************************************************
We depend on YOUR help in 2009!
UNITED is not rich and has no stable income !
Though far most of the work at the UNITED secretariat is done voluntary
- still money is needed to keep the network functioning in 2009 and to
secure the cooperation and information flow throughout Europe.
Your donation is most welcome:
- in cash to UNITED Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
- by bank (preferable) to:
UNITED, Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
Account
IBAN: NL28 INGB 0002343715, BIC: INGBNL2A - Bank: ING Bank Amsterdam,
Postbus 1800, NL-1000 BV Amsterdam
(From NL: ING Bank 2343715)
***********************************************************
UNITED is the pan-European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by over 560
organisations in 46 European countries.
How to join the network: see www.unitedagainstracism.org 'joining the
network'
UNITED E-NEWS is an irregular email service to over 9000 organisations
and contact persons active in the working fields: anti-racism, refugee
support, anti-fascism, against antisemitism, migration, minority issues,
intercultural youth work, against nationalism etc.
Regular postal mailings, containing publications such as Addressbook
Against Racism, Calendar of Internationalism, Campaign reports, Posters
etc. are sent to over 2400 European organisations. If you also would
like to receive this mailing: see www.unitedagainstracism.org 'joining
the network'
----
UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of
migrants and refugees
Postbus 413 - NL 1000 AK Amsterdam - phone +31-20-6834778 - fax
+31-20-6834582 - [email protected] -
www.unitedagainstracism.org
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