Borders closed – and now what?

Interactive conference

Nov 2nd and 3rd, Graz, Forum Stadtpark

The European governments have been pursuing a consistent policy of closed borders for several years, shifting the task of border security to the outside of the EU borders without asking about the consequences. This leads to life-threatening situations for people on the run, who are trapped between the borders between Bosnia and Croatia, Libya and Italy, Morocco and Spain or France and UK – but also has consequences for people living in neighbouring countries and within the EU. While the governments‘ strategy is to let as few refugees as possible into the EU, NGOs try to alleviate the worst effects. People from civil society stand up for the rights of refugees and support them either on the way to the borders or to stay here – be it in the Mediterranean, along the Balkan route or within EU countries. They are often involved to the point of exhaustion and arbitrarily criminalised. In the dynamics of power relations between governments, NGOs, volunteers and people on the run, supporters and refugees find themselves in a kind of hamster wheel from which there seems to be hardly any way out.

The event wants to bring together all those who support people seeking protection, be it at the borders or within the EU, as well as others confronted with the topic, e.g. those working as scientists or in social institutions. We will work together on questions like:

• What role do we play in this „power game“?
• How can we change our postion within these power dynamics so that we and the refugees feel better?
• How can we influence the rules of the game?

For more information click here

For the whole documentation click here (pdf)

This event is supported by:

Partner: