20 Years of The VOICE Refugee Forum - 20 years Anniversary of Refugee Resistance in Germany

The VOICE, OUR VOICE will forever be OURS and can never be silenced!!!
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Make a donation 750 X 20€ for 20 year anniversary of The VOICE Refugee Forum for financial autonomy
“20 years are not enough” - Unite against Deportation and Social Exclusion

20 years of active resistance by The VOICE Refugee Forum in Germany is a proof that self-organization of the affected persons is the only alternative for the struggle of the oppressed. It is our aim to fight and end the fear and insecurity of being a refugee here in Germany and Europe as a whole.

Founded in 1994 in Thuringia Germany, we, The VOICE Refugee Forum invite you to join us in celebrating 20 years anniversary of refugee self-organization. It is a call for solidarity with grassroots political activism and struggles in Germany and beyond. This Anniversary will be funded only by internal and independent donators to guarantee the autonomy of our resistance.

Our aim has been to fight societal and institutional racism, discrimination and other deplorable and inhuman conditions that refugees are subjected to in Germany. This has been against the backdrop of refugees and migrant rights abuses that are institutionalized through racist laws legitimizing the brutality of the State organs – this, the network of “The VOICE” has been relentlessly confronting since its 20 years of daily engagement and self-empowerment for active resistance.

The anniversary will reflect on the celebration of the longest self-organized refugee movement in Europe and the endless struggles to break the ingrained German state isolation culture and liberate ourselves and the society from the daily discrimination we face in Germany!

This celebration is about ‘You’ as much as it’s about ‘Us’, and hence it’s about our solidarity, our principles, our strength and the victories attained from challenging the injustices we face from the hypocrisy of the political elites and their cohorts who still live in denial of our inalienable rights to human dignity.

We celebrate while reviving and reliving the memories of our contributions to the refugee struggles. Remember, the history of our solidarity cannot be complete without acknowledging the sacrifices of the still living and the dead refugees who inspired our survival over the last two decades. Engraving this acknowledgement in our hearts fortifies our strength and aids our success of standing together against the globalized patterns of Imperialism and colonial injustice.

Our persecutors have attempted to divide and rule us, but we have blown their strategy in their face by standing together as a refugee group, united by our principles of justice and equality. Their attempt to intimidate us has failed as we have only become more determined and resolute to stand up for our rights. Their attempt to silence us by cruel and inhuman means has left our voices louder than they can bear as we continue to inspire others to raise theirs.

“We are here because you destroy our countries” a slogan of the Caravan-for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants aptly describes the mechanism of Neo-colonialism that has forced many to live as refugees within and outside our home countries. The meaning of this thought-provoking slogan is reflected in the innumerable examples and means through which Western economic and political interests are destroying our lives and home countries.

We are calling on you to share your inspiration with us. Together, we are inspired to continue our struggles to expose the injustice of the nations, their participation in and making of wars and exploitation because these are the major reasons that force us to flee and migrate from our home countries. In Germany and beyond, refugee struggles in many cities presently feeling the brunt of our long years of refugee resistance in Europe.

The 20 years anniversary of The VOICE will be marked with five days of socio-cultural and political events from Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 October 2014 in Jena.

Once again, we shall reflect on the refugee right to freedom of movement and settlement as well as the importance of continued self-organization of refugees by focusing on identifying and defining criminalization through persecution: Main emphasis will be laid on the analysis of deportations as a crime and the atrocity of deportation prisons.

The 20 years anniversary of The VOICE will be marked with five days of socio-cultural and political events from Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 October 2014 in Jena.

Once again, we shall reflect on the refugee right to freedom of movement and settlement as well as the importance of continued self-organization of refugees by focusing on identifying and defining criminalization through persecution: Main emphasis will be laid on the analysis of deportations as a crime and the atrocity of deportation prisons.

Program: Unite Against Deportation and Social Exclusion from Wednesday 1 till Sunday 5 October 2014 in Jena

	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
1st Day Wed	Arrival Schillergaesschen 5, 07745 Jena	Action in Isolated Refugee Reception Camp in Eisenberg – Rally from 3 to 5 pm.	Official opening: 7 pm Pioneering the refugee struggles in Thueringen since 1994
2nd Day Thu	Conference on our history in the refugee struggles of The VOICE Refugee Forum in 20years - (campaigns and topics)	Identification and defining the crimes of persecutions, atrocities against and abuses of Human rights by deportation, testimonies of refugee community activists on their struggles	Unite the Resistance – “Refugee Community Solidarity instead of Hierarchy” - How our struggles support to eliminate and liberate the German society from persecution
3rd Day Fri	Critical Solidarity Space: Self- reflection and criticism in the Refugee Movement in Germany and Beyond	“20 years is not Enough” Workshops-different topics running parallel Mechanism of Neo Colonialism - We are here because Europe destroys, exploits and corrupts the refugee countries	NATO warfare and the silent war by daily persecution of Refugees General plenary Anniversary Ceremony with Concerts and Theatre
4th Day Sat	The DETERRENCE: Eliminate the deportation and Break down the deportation Prisons – the way forward	Public Rally in Jena and picnic in the Abolished former Isolation Refugee Reception Camp in Jena Forest with Cultural event	Musical jam/party in different parts of the city
5th Day Sun	Reports on Refugee International Tribunal against German Human rights abuses in 2013	Rally in Breitenworbis Isolation Refugee Camp: Close the Isolation Lager	Closing: On the Move! Fight Back - Against racism and discrimination! We want another Germany and Europe without persecution!

There will be Musical jam/party and cultural events to run through evenings of the 20th Anniversary

The VOICE Refugee Forum, Email: thevoiceforum@gmx.de, http://thevoiceforum.org/
Contact for Orgateam/Cultur: 20yearsofthevoice@riseup.net

Donation Account: Förderverein The VOICE e.V. Sparkasse Göttingen, Accountnumber 127829, BLZ: 260 500 01
IBAN: DE97 2605 0001 0000 1278 29, BIC: NOLADE21GOE