April 2016
Newsletter by DNS 2014 Beatrix, Farid, Justas, Laura
From the margin to the mainstream Written by Farid
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Looking through different glasses Written by Beatrix, Justas and Laura
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What the COP21 taught me Written by Farid
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They see an old school building—we see an asylum home Written by Justas
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Experiences 1. Demonstration in Aarhus by Beatrix 2. My longest workday by Justas 3. Introducing ourselves to our neighbours by Laura
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European period Written by Beatrix
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75 percent of EU citizens live in an urban area; that makes city life the mainstream environment of living in Europe and the global cultures of cities its mainstream social environment. DNS students, who most likely came from similar environments, experienced a drastic change when they start the DNS program. The first year of the education is happening in a rural community in Denmark, in bus travelling in Africa or on the road in Europe. The geographical changes of the living environments come along with a social change since the DNS students lead a collective lifestyle strongly contrasted with city individualist based lifestyle. Out of the European mainstream for a year the DNS students spend their time learning about our world and its issues, practicing their organizational, cooperation and leading skills and shaping their mind to more flexibility and critical thinking. The 6 month European reality period happen after this year being in the margin of the mainstream and one of its interests lays on how the DNS students respond to being back in the “ordinary� life. This process, my team and I experienced in the past 6 months. Starting our second year in the DNS program, we chose Aarhus to be our host city. Our assignments for the period were to learn more about the European society, to get closer to the reality of parents, to be politically active and active community members and of course as many students, earn our living. They were 6 intensive months; we combined our lives of DNS students, migrant workers and do-gooders for the community. The period was stamped by political aliveness and you can expect this feature to give the ton for the newsletter. Political articles among personal stories and our favourite pictures make up its content. Enjoy the reading, learn, get inspired and become active citizen.
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DNS2014 and two members of DNS2013 are living in Århus to experience the European reality, and teaching practice. It turns out to be much more than we have expected... you know about the world you become more aware of the products you buy, and the companies you hire. Justas (DNS2014), Nadja (DNS2013) and the group also contacted and requested Århus University, and Bazar Vest to change their security company from G4S to an alternative which would not provide equipment, and services to Israeli prisons, at which political prisoners are held without trial and subjected to tortutre. By helping Israel to run five prisons, and “interrogation centres”, G4S is participating in Israel’s use of violence, and mass incarceration of more than 6,000 Palestinians as a way to discourage Palestinians from resisting its apartheid policies.
In our European period, we are to experience the daily life of a European city, to investigate its passions and struggles, politics and art, to see what’s behind the façade. And work – that’s what people do. We meet different people, take part in their actions, and get a better understanding of issues, as well as possibilities to contribute to the future we want. To make a difference, we are not only active in demonstrations, but also discuss, and spread information about important issues to everybody exactly there where they are. Once, an orange was just an orange, yet now it is something else: a mark of trade relationships, the apartheid in Israel, reminder of food waste, and few other ingredients. Justas (DNS2014) has travelled to Palestine some years ago, and since then keeps spreading awareness about the struggles of Palestinians. Here in Århus, he joined a movement “Palestine Aktion”. Their main campaign is focusing at the moment on boycotting Israel. As a result, an attractive flyer is made to tell people about the brands participating in the occupation of Palestine. Soda Stream, Nestlé, Coca Cola, L'Oréal and many other are among them. When
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In the meantime, we have become more aware about our food consumption as well. Over 7 billion people live on this planet, and 925 million are starving. The food we waste globally is enough to feed 3 billion people. And then, we met a campaign called “Stop wasting food”. In the last couple of years, they have managed to change the food waste habits of one quarter of the Danes. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the fact that one fourth of the food we buy we never consume. And it’s not just about Denmark: more than half of our food and fodder comes from the Global South where exports of crops to Europe compete with farming for the needs of local population. It also impacts the food prices, making it even more difficult for the Poor to make ends meet. But also in the Global North, some people are lacking food. That’s where "Too Good To Go" comes, an organisation that makes actions to collect food leftovers from restaurants, and bring them to the homeless. Another local initiative to tackle food waste in Århus is called "People’s Kitchen". It is an event every Sunday afternoon, in which people come to cook, and eat together. The event is run by a weekly donation from the local farmers. Every Saturday, there is a market, where all the vegetables and fruits, the farmers were not able to sell, are given as a donation. This initiative helps avoiding food waste, gives ideas how to cook different kind of foods, and also serves a social event with a good company. You can even make your own People's Kitchen! It can take just a small action to grow into something bigger, and make a difference. We are living now in our European city, in Århus, and participating in actions, campaigns and demonstrations. We find the issues we are interested in, and find it important to give our input, and energy to achieve even more together!
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I went with a comrade, to Paris to participate in the 12th of December,2015 was the biggest day of civil last days of the 21st Conference Of the Parties mobilisation. It was a symbolically organised day (COP21). We had talked a lot about it, and when after the end of the official COP to show that “the someone from our network shared the opportunity last word” belongs to the civil society. of being freely accommodated by the organization We joined a coaching session on how to behave in “Friends of the Earth” we booked our bus tickets. an illegal protest and how to react in case violence By going there, I was hoping to learn more about would occur. Protesting would be illegal because of climate change and offer my humble presence in the state of emergency in France. Afterwards, a supporting the movement for climate justice. The general briefing was held to make the public aware first place we visited was the “104”, a building of the plan for the red-line action, a D12 highlight where the climate coalition set its headquarter. The demonstration. As an ice breaker, the talker led a 104 offered expositions, lectures, workshops and a small game that ended up reminding the crowd that daily general assembly to discuss what was going if today women could wore trousers or used contraon in the official negotiations. On this particular ceptive, or if people could have the week-end off, it day, the major events of the D12 (Day 12) were be- was all due to people using their power through ing discussed and organised. The D12, on Saturday civil disobedience actions.
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When the briefing was over, we went to another event
gram, the first one was about people forming the letters
called: “Brainstorming climate justice”. The events had
“CLIMATE; JUSTICE; PEACE” using a phone appli-
two main parts; the first one was about looking into the
cation to geo-localized their position on a map, then
past and realising how colonialism that mutated into neo came the red line actions. Activist carried a 105 meters -colonial capitalism amplifies the climate crisis.
long red banner to symbolise the limit that should not be
The second one was about predicting how future might
crossed in term of global warming by the governments,
be like, using science fiction imaginary. Some novels
businesses and negotiators. The action was joined by
and movies proposing different societal models influ-
over 15 000 people. 2 minutes of silence were given in
enced by the climate crisis were presented. Most of
tributes to all the victims of global warming and then
them were dystopian... One of the academicians talking the crowd paraded in the “Grande Armée” avenue becaught my attention by explaining how the Conference
fore heading to the Eiffel tower to form a human chain.
Of The Parties cannot bring any viable solution to the climate crisis; the COP is part of the problem, because it is part of a system that causes climate change.
The creativity and sophistication used by the activists to deliver their political messages was unbelievable. The atmosphere was joyful, resolute and motivating. It felt
Later in the evening we went back to our accommoda-
extremely pleasant to be among all those people who
tion, a giant tent hosting hundreds activists from all
had come because they really care about our future and
over. On Saturday, we woke up for a daylong of protest in the streets of Paris. Three demonstrations were on our pro-
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willing to take action. On the other hand, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that there should have been much more people in the streets that day.
To conclude the mobilisation, speeches were given
lating to hear again of the too powerful business
from a stage. Predictably, none of the talkers were sat- lobby. isfied with the non-binding agreement reached as a
The 3 days we stayed in Paris had been such a great
result of the COP. Scientists tell us that if we want to
pedagogical experience. As I was hoping to, I learnt
mitigate the effect of global warming, the increase of
much more about climate change and I could be part
global average temperature should be kept under 2oC
of the movement for climate justice. The great lesson I
(relative to the pre-industrial level), otherwise its ef-
gained was that the fight for climate justice cannot be
fect will be disastrous for the human population, and
left in the hands of politicians; they apparently do not
o
especially for the Poor. It appeared that the 2 C limit
have the power to do the right thing. Nor to the free
is very optimistic, and it is rather under 1.5oC that the
market, which caused it and will continue if not regu-
temperature increase should be limited to. The
lated... It is a cause that we, the people, must embrace,
COP21 failed to pass a binding agreement that would
if we do not want to be the next victims of the global
mitigate the effect of global warming under this limit. warming, not to mention other livings and the future It also failed in offering an agreement on the repara-
generations. That’s the message how I perceived from
tion and compensation the nations historically respon- many people I met and talkers I listened to in these 3 sible for climate change should give to the nations that days in Paris. I believe actions of civil disobedience suffer the most from it.
will be a necessity if quick change is to happen in our
Our last day in Paris, we spend in the green party´s
system. We must indeed carry the red lines wherever
headquarter, where the Federation of Young European it is needed. I hope that the COP21 was just the beginGreens had their conclusion meeting. They had re-
ning of a new chapter in the movement for climate
ceived accreditation to send some of their members to justice. If you want to be part of the movement, here is be part of the COP as observers. It was super interest- a start... ing to hear some inside stories of the COP, and deso-
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Brabrand tunnel with graffitis
Open dinner with our friends in Braband 10
They see and old building—we see an asylum home
The situation of refugees is a ‘big crisis’ nowadays in Denmark and all over Europe. It is a much-talked issue and sadly most of these talks end up negatively towards the people that are escaping from the war in their countries. People put up a lot of excuses why their country in Europe shouldn’t receive refugees. Some of these excuses are for example that there is not enough places, it is too expensive, they don’t want to integrate etc. Instead of problems, we need to talk about solutions. We both DNS students and activists in Aarhus like to take action on these issues. On January 2016 we had decided to bring a proposal to the municipality by a bit more drastic measure. Together with a lot of great citizens of Aarhus, people from the activist group called ‘Flygtningaktionen’ (The refugee action) and representatives from DNS teams 2014 and 2013 and other concerned citizens had occupied an empty school building with a wish to make it into an asylum centre. Why was it needed one might ask? The thing is that Denmark had recently elected a far right influenced government. Therefore many policies regarding refugees are quite rough and not very welcoming. One example is when refugees were put to live in tents, even though there were free spaces in asylum centres. Another example of a ‘warm welcome’ is that if refugees come with belongings ranging over 10,000 DKK, it will be taken away from them, as compensation for the warm welcome…
A deeper insight into the day of the action. On the 3rd of January 4 am we met in a school building unused since 3 years. We went to the indicated address and met the activists there. We met shortly to plan a bit ahead, because we had heard that there were some police cars patrolling in the area. Few minutes later with we went behind the building to the other entrance. We were 15 people and then a local anarchist explained what the next steps would be. She would smash a window and get in with one person, to whom we would pass the bags and then get in. Everything went according to the plan. The building was under security, so most likely a silence alarm occurred when the window was smashed. When we got inside, the next step to do was to block all the entrances with tables and other furniture to make entering harder for the guards and the police. After this we should form smaller groups of 2 to 3 persons and lock ourselves into different classrooms. We climbed up the stairs and opened a first class-room and here the load alarm started. Few minutes later we noticed that a police car had arrived in the yard and as we all gathered in a classroom, when two policemen, out of nowhere appeared before our door.
The issue we wanted to bring up through our action was to promote the idea to open an asylum home within the city of Aarhus. Why? Firstly, it would open more spaces for refugees. Secondly, they would have better chances of integrating into the Danish society, and thirdly, the people would get a better chance to get to know these refugees. 11
They were followed by some G4S guards as well. We presented the police officer our manifesto. Then they left saying that they would be back in 5 minutes. Right after we started getting organized inside. We were agreeing that we should keep a friendly attitude and that there was no need to lock ourselves in the rooms. When the police came back, they asked to see our documents to know whom they were talking with, in their own words. After we were all registered, the officer said that our action had been registered as a political one. Therefore he would not do anything at the moment. ‘We will contact someone from the municipality and find this out and if you have anything to say, call us,’ he said and left. On the ground floor the G4S guards were looking at the eventual damages we might have caused (not finding anything besides the smashed window).
So since it seemed like we could at least be in the building for few hours or even days we started organizing. We listed the actions we should do like contacting the media, different politicians, put up our banner outside, clean up the nearby rooms and turn them into a study room, a sleeping room, a living room etc.
We also needed a reception to welcome people and a donation corner. We all agreed to adopt a behavioural code of ‘Be friendly, no alcohol and smoking inside, respect the building’. The next move was to contact VIA, the official owner of the place, to tell them what we had done, and that we have no bad intentions. The person responsible of media contact in our group organized and contacted many newspapers, reporters and radio stations. Together with all the others she also kept Facebook updates running. After some time since the policemen left, we got to know from the G4S that we are not allowed to leave the room, which was contradicting our agreement with the police. They were also misinforming us that the water and toilets in the building are not working, as well they were saying that the building was sold already, which later turned out not to be true. We called the police due to the miscommunication with the guards to figure out about their agreement and try to make it possible to access the toilets at least.
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Few silent hours later the Police came saying that owner of the place does not want us to be here and that we should clean up the blockades and leave. We cleaned up the blockades and then met up briefly with the activists and decided to stay as long as possible in the building, or as long as we felt comfortable. We got a visit from the media to take some interviews. Around 11:00 o’clock we were kindly asked again to leave, so we grouped and left the house. We ended with taking some picture with the banner, some conclusion sentences and sharing some dumpster dived food that one of the activist had brought with. The action was done.
about 13 articles/updates on news websites, in a short video on the on tv2 local website and a radio transmission in the morning of the action. Even though the occupation was cut short, we at least raised a discussion in the city council, with no clear results to date. Even though no action was taken by the municipality, we sent our opinion about the matter. The discussion was raised and we reached out to some the Danish population.
All the charges for all the activist have been dropped. We just needed to pay a bill of 3085.5 dkk for the broken window of the house that will be demolished soon. Apparently there will be built some private Few days later, together with the activists we met to apartments instead of the school. conclude on the action. Our action was mentioned in
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People’s Kitchen
Open Shuhada Street action to raise awareness about the situation in Palestine 14
Denmark as many other countries is preparing for war. Before the official start of the protest, some young The new government is planning to cut off the budget rappers were rehearsing, their songs were about the for education and put it into the military. It is a com- education and what the government was planning to mon phenomenon nowadays and many countries try to do. Many of the protest participants came by buses protect themselves from enemies we cannot see. I from close-by towns. A banner showed the message have been reading about it and also about the prepara- “cutting on education is cutting on our future�. Some tions from the people to protest against this plan. A of the people came with beer which for me was a little demonstration was organized all around the country to bit strange. The majority of the crowd was composed show that people are against it. On the 29th of October of students and pupils who came with their classes. I also joined the event to see what was happening. I Unfortunately I had to leave early for a job trial but it went there earlier and saw already the huge crowd of was really nice to see that people go out and stand for people. When I was passing by bike I already noticed a cause. They talked about it, made speeches, raised the police and the organizers in orange vests. There awareness and also walked through the city. was a little truck as a stage where some people were standing and telling about the event. They explained that balloons could be taken from one point of the square; they were filled with helium and could be used to write messages on them.
I think it is important to go and show our disagreement on different issues. Since we are living in Aarhus I have been to three different demonstrations, not the whole time but saw some of it. I value the freedom that I have and people have to go in front of a city hall and express they disapproval.
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Yesterday I had a 14 hours’ workday, the longest one in Working under those conditions got me tired and unmomy life.
tivated to be active in society, so I imagine how it is for
I don’t think I have ever worked so many hours in a row people who spend their life with this kind of how are in DNS, and for sure not 14 hours in a job for the only they supposed to care or have any time or energy to do purpose of generating income. I don´t find it reasonable, something about the world or even have the energy to but that is the European reality – for some it means long educate their children? workdays in order to survive financially. My job at the café is not especially exhausting, but it is an “always something to do” kind of job, especially lately when the couple who owns and manages the café, my bosses, are physically not able to work properly. As my fellow workmates have left for holiday, all their responsibilities fell on me, 2 shifts + cleaning. At 6pm our dear café place closed and then my bosses organized a cleaning action. It turned out that or cleaning guy was
Half of their time is spent on earning money, the other half resting and sleeping, due to how physically and mentally the work is exhausting. I keep this thought for those who work in low job positions, I don’t think all the people have a meaningless job, but some do, and those are struggling with it every day of their life. And then I question myself, is that the European reality for the poor?
not doing a good job, so we cleaned for 4 hours around 4-5 people with a bunch of children/youngsters also resulting in the boss decision to fire the cleaning guy. It was a long day. After 8 hours I felt tired and tired of seeing customers, so I went more for cleaning tasks. After 10 hours I felt like falling apart. After 12 hours I put some music on my headphones and regained some energy, maybe due to overtiredness… When the day was over, I slept a straight 12 hours. I don’t like to sleep so long, but it fell like my body was asking for it.
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We have thought for a long time to finally go and try to meet our neighbours. We were planning to do it but we never took the decision to actually do it. One evening as Farid was putting his bike back to the basement a neighbour asked him whom he was. He answered him that he recently moved in the building and that he was planning to go around and introduce himself. The neighbour answered that indeed it would be a good idea. Two days later we were going to the last floor of our building ready to ring on all the doors. We came prepared. We shopped some nice tea bags and baked about 60 vegan cookies to give to our neighbours. The first door opening up showed us a woman from migrant background. She did not speak English, so we talked Danish. When Farid said that he was from France, she started speaking French. She was actually coming from Tunisia. She had two kids and her husband was at work. She was a social worker. They accepted to take our cookies and we told her that she could pass by our apartment if she had anything we could help with like taking care of the kids. The second door opened up on bearded Danish like face. The guy was quite friendly but he did not have time to receive us home and mentioned that we could
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pass by the following day, which we are going to do. The third door was another bearded guy and he spoke in Danish. He welcomed us but was having guests at home so we couldn’t take too much of his time. The fourth door, the flat just above us, we knew a family lived there. We met the mum. She was apparently pleased with our initiative. She has two kids and the husband living home. She is a pedagogue and they were about to eat in 10 minutes. We are planning to come and meet her again, and she let us know that we would always be welcome. She was also curious of us because we said we are studying to become teachers / pedagogues. The last of the neighbour we met was an older lady living just in the door in front of us. She refused our cookie because she was about to have dinner but welcomed us warmly. It felt nice to do some social activity and start to create some connections with our closest neighbours. They are people we can support with little services if they need it, be friend with, and learn from them and their reality. They are people enhancing our European reality experience.
Our last DNS Open House
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Second year in DNS is also a challenging one with its European headline. As future teachers we need to understand the reality of our future students. When you have already experienced the world through an African study travel you change your viewpoint, you look at things differently. Our team gave a little angle how we are looking at things now. Our initiatives and experiences in this period made a small impact on the local people in Aarhus. ‘Alone the world changes you, together we change the world’ implies all the time. When you are together with some other people you can improve the situation and make things better. All of us got a different picture from one of the European cities; all of us could make a little change in the world. Just with your presence you affect people and we did leave an impression on some of the people there. These 6 months changed us and we changed something there. Being in our school campus is easy, because everything is organized for you, you just have to fill the frames, but being in a European city requires more organization, you have to take care of everything. Of course a DNS student won’t be happy with basic things: you will seek all the opportunities to do something different. You will aim for more, higher, you will demand more from yourself. A DNS student will make things better, will raise discussions, talk to people and get as many opinions as possible. Our little newsletter gave a taste of what we did, how we realised our plans and fulfilled our goals. We created a little difference. As DNSers we were looking for what we could do and learn as well. We are far from mainstream, we are seeking for the different, the active, the minority. We all met organizations, people, which were not simple or ordinary. In our different view they are in the middle not the mainstream. After we got to know the mainstream we can encourage everybody to look for something different. It is always full of surprises.
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