Editorial by Conny Reuter, SOLIDAR Secretary General

United we stand?

20 March 2015

United we stand against the terrorist attacks of Wednesday in Tunis, and not only because we are on our way to the World Social Forum in Tunis that will take place next week. Tunisia is more than a symbol: the long process followed by the country where the Arab Spring began, with the self- immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi, has moved into an important phase: a progressive constitution was agreed between the political forces of the country including Islamic and secular forces. Democratic elections have been held and there have been some encouraging signs that the tourism industry is gradually beginning to recover.

Terrorists of all kinds do not care about the lives of the people they kill: their focus is on killing and sending symbolic messages. The attacks on Charlie Hebdo, the Kosher Supermarket, the conference in Copenhagen on the right to blasphemy and now the museum in Tunis, a building just next to the Tunisian National Assembly, combine both: the intent to intimidate by force and to demonstrate the determination of the killers to kill more than lives.

The progressive community condemns these attacks and will not bow to intimidation. We will be in Tunis and we will go ahead with the World Social Forum because we want to send a signal that we stand for strong values, for progressive beliefs and for human rights and civil liberties. United we stand!

But: beside the declaration of solidarity, will we be able to finally set a common progressive agenda for change or will we remain enclosed within our respective “families” continuing to focus more on our differences than our common aims? Progressives and the radical left have a long track record of mutual accusation and sectarian attitudes. It is always easy to condemn others who seem to be not radical enough. Reform or revolution is an old story of the progressive camp. But a look back at history tells us that our divisions are beneficial to those forces who want to keep the system as it is, creating more inequality, more exclusion, more poverty – perhaps not everywhere, but more and more. In the South some may think that it is only fair the North should suffer from the crisis, but weakening the welfare state and the European social model leaves no winners.

International solidarity is about more than declarations: it is about putting in place policies that benefit the people and the planet. Our involvement in this edition of the World Social Forum will demonstrate that a world that lives in dignity is possible. Freedom, Equality and Social Justice can be achieved peacefully and non-violently – if united we stand! Finally!

SOLIDAR 20 years in Brussels

20 March 2015

On Monday SOLIDAR organised a reception to bring together members, partners, allies and SOLIDAR friends to mark its 20 years in Brussels. We gathered at the Mundo-B to look back on the past 20 years and celebrate the efforts, the commitment and the achievements made to promote social justice in Europe and worldwide through the implementation of successful campaigns, effective advocacy and the creation of powerful alliances with civil society organisations, the trade union movement and progressive parties.

The 20 years’ celebration was opened by SOLIDAR’s acting President, Francisca Sauquillo, who highlighted the crucial importance of the presence of SOLIDAR in Brussels for the reinforcement of cooperation at international level amongst civil society organisations to advance social justice and to fight inequalities. Maria João Rodrigues, Vice-President of the S&D Group and a longstanding friend of SOLIDAR, reflected on the crucial role of SOLIDAR in bringing the voice of progressive civil society to the EU-political arena. She recognised SOLIDAR as an essential and irreplaceable ally in promoting the social dimension of the European Union as indispensable to fostering convergence and economic, financial and social consolidation.
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Together for Social Europe

Statement by SOLIDAR and Volonteurope – Empower Civil Society to Monitor Fundamental Rights

19 March 2015

This week a study carried out for the European Parliament Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs titled ‘The impact of the crisis on fundamental rights across Member States of the EU’ was published, highlighting the impact of the crisis on fundamental rights, especially in relation to education, healthcare, work and pensions and the restraints on freedom of expression and assembly for citizens within the European Union.
SOLIDAR and Volonteurope welcome this new report that reflects the findings of the Social Progress Watch 2014, launched in the European Parliament last December, and presents the state of play of social and employment developments in 15 European countries. Similar trends have been identified across the country studies, showing how certain austerity measures have led to a deterioration in the conditions that enable people to exercise their fundamental rights to education, healthcare and work. The trends include a reduction in the number of schools, teachers and medical staff and in the availability of affordable public transport services due to budgetary cuts. Progress Watch 2014 notes, moreover, that migrants, people with disabilities and women are amongst the groups that have been disproportionally affected by these measures.
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Testing EU Citizenship as labour citizenship: from cases of labour rights violations to a strengthened labour rights regime project

20 March 2015

SOLIDAR attended the meeting to launch the EU-funded project “Testing EU Citizenship as labour citizenship: from cases of labour rights violations to a strengthened labour rights regime” (LABCIT), led by the Multicultural Center Prague. Associated project partners are SOLIDAR member ADO SAH ROM from Romania, the University of Padua from Italy, the Polish Social Council, and other partners from Lithuania, Germany and the Czech Republic. The project will look at EU citizenship from the perspective of particular experiences and cases of violations of labour rights of mobile EU citizens in the EU labour market.
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Building Learning Societies

Education for strengthening citizenship and solidarity

20 March 2015

On 17 March EU Education Ministers and the Commission met in Paris to discuss measures to tackle radicalisation across the EU, and propose a joint response on promoting European citizenship and values through education in the aftermath of the recent terrorist events in France and Denmark, and increasing intolerance across Europe. The ministers have adopted a declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education, calling for combined efforts to prevent and tackle marginalisation, intolerance, racism and radicalisation. “Even though education systems within the European Union are different, we must find ways to consolidate Europe’s efforts in tackling intolerance, discrimination and radicalisation starting from an early age. Similarly as the European leaders joined millions of people marching in the streets of Paris, the education policy-makers must now stand shoulder to shoulder in support of the values at the heart of the European Union – freedom, tolerance, equality and rule of law” stressed the Minister Seile on behalf of the Latvian Presidency.

SOLIDAR welcomes the steps taken by the ministers and their political will to tackle the challenges of today. There is a need to build inclusive societies on the shared values of democracy, tolerance and freedom by strengthening solidarity and local communities and fighting against extremism, hate and xenophobia.
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Organising International Solidarity

SOLIDAR at the World Social Forum – Now even more need for Civil Dialogue

19 March 2015

Wednesday’s attacks in Tunis have heightened our motivation to meet together at the World Social Forum, that will take place in Tunis next week; in a spirit of solidarity and to take a firm stand against terrorism.

In the light of Wednesday’s attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis where 20 people were killed and 44 wounded, SOLIDAR calls for full participation in the World Social Forum as the appropriate response by all pacifist and democratic forces for a better, fairer and freer world based on peaceful co-existence.

This attack was an attempt by terrorist groups to undermine the democratic transition taking place in Tunisia, while creating a climate of fear amongst citizens who aspire to freedom, democracy and peaceful participation in establishing democracy.

SOLIDAR supports the progressive social movements and democratic forces in Tunisia and in the wider Middle East and North Africa who oppose violence and terrorism, whilst promoting human rights, fundamental freedoms, freedom of association, peace, democracy and social justice.

From 24 to 28 March 2015 SOLIDAR together with a delegation of members and partner organisations will participate in the World Social Forum in Tunis to mobilise for social justice in the Middle East and North Africa region and strengthen strategic alliances with regional partners, independent trade unions and progressive political forces.
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Will Israel face a new future?

20 March 2015

On the morning of 18 March it was clear who was the big winner of this election: Netanyahu – the head of the right wing party in Israel, had won again. With 30 seats out of 120 in the parliament, he will put together a new coalition in Israel. The campaign has already showed that the new government will have to handle some crucial issues: not only the infamous security problem, but also many social problems. The big question is how he is going to balance security and the social challenges. The upcoming decisions on the state budget will unveil those choices. But there is also a new political force composed of Arab Israeli’s and it will be interesting to see how this will impact the political changes.
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