Summary of meeting organised by DiEM25 local groups of Trieste (Italy) Ljublijana (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia) in Gorizia

On Saturday 30 June, a diverse of group activists – from different countries, organisations, and political persuasions — met at the Kulturni dom of Gorizia in Italy. Present were the DiEM25 DSCs of Ljubljana Rijeka and Trieste, the representatives of Kulturni dom, Forum Gorizia and Ecopacifists of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia.
Participants gathered there to demand that their respective countries join the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (the “Nuclear Ban Treaty”), under which it is possible to denuclearise the Aviano air base and the military transit ports of Capodistria and Trieste, which the Treaty of peace in 1947 defined “demilitarised and neutral”.
They also expressed support for the creation of the Slovenian language section of the “Tartini” Conservatory of Music in Trieste, proposing the study of at least three languages for all those who live in a multicultural territory.
The goal of the meeting was to deal constructively with the issue of migration and the free movement of people. While leaders across Europe dominate headlines with vicious attacks on newcomers from within Europe and around the world, the group was focused on the improvement of the condition for migrants and the international partnership between the countries of the Global North and the South.
Today, many Europeans live in a politics of fear and insecurity — despite the fact that there are very few migrants. Many simply assume that they are unable to integrate into the societies of countries like Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
In contrast to the racist culture of the European “sovereignists,” the assembled parties aim to create understanding for people’s fears, as well as correctly inform them about the actual dynamics of migration in Europe and the actually existing and life stories in migrants’ countries of origin.
The assembly agreed to support the demonstration of 14 July in Ventimiglia, as well as a range of other initiatives that aim to counteract the xenophobic drift with the intelligence and strength of mutual relations.
There also was talk of the upcoming European elections, with the commitment to meet again by September to try to build a common programme at the center of Europe, participating in the movements that propose a “European Spring”.
We want to go beyond the current political situation that has produced disasters. Radical alternatives are desperately needed, and a strong investment in social communications to pierce the silence in international media.
The assembly concluded with the commitment to meet on the initiative of DiEM25 Ljublijana, again in Kulturni dom in Gorizia, an ideal place for cultural and political relations between the realities of neighboring countries (Carinthia, Slovenia, Croatia and Friuli Venezia Giulia). We hope that many of you will join us there.

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