Balkan Beats 26

Balkan Beats

Differ nce?

#26

FREE PRESS

A BIMONTHLY MAGAZINE BY THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE UNITED SOCIETIES OF BALKANS

Editorial

The 26th EditionDiffer nce?

by Marleen Müts

Alongside with March it arrives a time when we start

to feel the change, as winter gently gives space for spring to arrive and to bring us the sun more often.

In the 26th edition, we chose to bring you the topics in an unusual way, to show a different angle such as a letter from a refugee (page 04), how an important change start come from people that we wouldn’t expect it from (more on page 26) or how a controversial approach made a huge change in Portuguese society (page 20).

Week Against Racism”, with multiple activities around the city.

But also as intolerance, disrespect and prejudice

growing bigger around us, we were inspired to approach the difference in this 26th edition. We would like to remember and point out the importance of an equal world where every human could have the chance to live in peace regardless their nationality, race, skin colour, physical characteristics.

In this edition we also celebrate (and question) what March also means change for our Balkan Hotspot makes us feel and look at each other as different instead of truly appreciate and have a deep look at our similarities, our idiosyncrasies, our resemblances. During 16th and the 24th of March we invite our readers to join and promote the “European Action

project. For some of us the EVS journey ended and we said goodbye to our volunteers Claudia Maria Cornea, Cristian Lupu, Eglé Puodžiūnaitė, Laura Samuilytė, and Filip Graz. But as always, endings are beginnings for something new and we are happy to welcome our new volunteers Francesco Cirica, André Cruz, Emma Olivieri and Justin Roche.

Balkan Beats, a part of Balkan Hotspot

Balkan Hotspot is the EVS (European Voluntary changes in the Balkan and Eastern European Service) project of “United Societies of Balkans”, region and under the need for the creation of a a NGO founded in Thessaloniki in 2008 by a team better social environment. of active young people.

Key areas of the organization’s activities concern The Balkans and Eastern Europe are geograph- the defense of human rights, the organization of ical regions with many cultural features which youth exchanges and training courses, which will offer a broad spectrum of actions and youth in- bring young people from Balkans and Europe tovolvement initiatives. The organization was cre- gether, the organization of local educational semated as a response to the pressure of constant inars and multimedia production.

United Societies of Balkans is a Non Governmental Organization, founded in Thessaloniki in 2008, by a team of active young people. The organization was created as a response to the pressure of constant changes in the Balkan and Eastern European region and under the need for the creation of a better social environment. Key areas of the organization’s activities concern the defense of human rights, the organization of youth exchanges and training courses, which will bring young people from Balkans and Europe together, the organization of local educational seminars and multimedia pro- duction(webradio, videos, documentaries).

Main goals of the organization • To promote the values of non formal le- aring,volunteering, active citizenship and democracy for the creation of a better future for European youth.

• To promote human rights, solidarity and respect for diversity.

• To build healthy cooperation bridges between countries of the Balkan area and that of Eastern Europe with the rest of Europe.

• To locate and multiply the special cultural attributes of our societies.

• The break down of prejudices and stereo- types between Balkan countries.

UNITED SOCIETIES OF BALKANS, NGO

Property of Balkan Beats The United Societies of Balkans, NGO, does not necessarily share the opinions expressed in Balkan Beats. It is illegal to reproduce any part of this publication without referring to the source.

www.balkanhotspot.org

This magazine is distributed free of charge.

9, Alamanas str., Agios Pavlos, Thessaloniki Tel./Fax: +30 2310 215 629 | www.usbngo.gr Cover © Umberto Zeverini, André Cruz and Marleen Müts

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Contents

Contents Special

04

Do you know Syria?

Volunteer Life

VOICE TO VOLUNTEERS

06

Kristina Gruodytè

08

Transition to the future

10

STORY OF LUCK

Aim to achieve dreams

Local Life

12

Out Of The Borders SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES

20

A new approach to an old problem

24

Learning the harmony in difference

26

Week Against Racism 2019

SUSTAINABILITY

28

Is youth our (only) hope?

14

ART

Van Gogh Alive

16

Safe Pleasure

18

SPORT

Football for all

30

MUSIC

Kërkim

33

TRAVEL

A different style of travelling: Hitchbiking SPORTS AND HEALTH

37

Monsters and men

42

BOOKS

4 books to read about the Holocaust FOOD

45

Different aspects of diets

L’association: The Revolutionary Approach to Difference

UPCOMING EVENTS

40

CINEMA

January - The National Blood Donor Month

Mix Fix

47

ARTICLE

Six facts about Salvador Dalí

49

Advice for Thessaloniki

51

POETRY

Chinatown

52

Love and War

54

COMICS

Fake News

55

RECIPE

The tastiest apple crumble in the world

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Special

Do you know Syria?

A letter from Syrian refugee

by Mahmoud Qeshreh

This message is directed to the citizens of the countries who have taken in Syrian refugees.

Hello, my name is Mahmoud Qeshreh. I’m a I came about a serious revelation, a revelation Syrian refugee in Belgium from Aleppo city. If you would let me have a moment of your time. I have a message to all the honorable Europeans and westerners; like Belgium, Norway, Austria, Greece, Canada and the USA. Can you believe that Syrians are now in all of these countries?

You have hosted refugees and I have a few things to tell you:

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which concerns you firstly because you live with us. The Syrian refugees feel extremely frustrated, they have experienced great sorrow and would like to feel like normal human beings, not as refugees.

We want to walk in your streets without being hunted by all those eyes, without our every move being watched. We came to breath in some safety and security but we feel this freedom is incomplete.

Special

Dear Westerners and Europeans, I want you to know the Syrian refugee did not Do you like olives or olive oil? The first olive tree come to your country willingly, he would have preferred to come as a tourist with his family, enjoy the beauty of your civilization, learn your amazing histories, take photos and return home.

was planted in Syria. Do you eat bread? Well, the first wheat field was in Syria too. It was planted in the first agricultural village in history, plowed with the first plow in history, harvested with the scythe in history and ground for the first He did not come looking for a job opportunity; he first time in history, in 7000 BC. came looking for an opportunity for a chance at life. This Syrian refugee whom you’ve embraced Damascus is the capital of Syria, the first inwith humanity, came looking for the warmth that habited city in the world. This is where the first he lost in his own country. This Syrian is the son of school was created and it is also known to be Syria, which means “the land of the sun”, but unfor- the hometown of the man who discovered the tunately, the Syrian sun is no longer warm for him. circulatory system, Ibn Al Nafis.

In the past, 8000 years, Syrians have never been You will be astonished to hear that Syria pre-

refugees but have harbored the surrounding world’s refugees. Yes, this Syrian came to you alive but a significant part of him died and was lost. He came to you to open a new page in his life, leaving behind pages of death and destruction. You can’t imagine what this Syrian went through before reaching your shores, and I hope you never go through such a dreadful experience.

This man came from Syria but do you know

anything about Syria? If all you know about Syria is its death and destruction, then that is understandable. That is what Syria is today but that is not what Syria used to be. The refugee comes from a country whose mother language is Syrian, a part of the Aramaic language; the language of Jesus Christ. This is where Christianity started, among many other things. Syria is often described as the cradle of all civilizations because many of the greatest human achievements began here.

sented the world with the first alphabet in history in 7500 BC. You will also be amazed to know that Syria introduced the first music. The oldest song was discovered written on clay tablets, dating from 1400 BC. It contained 4 verses in Hurrian language, the language of Northern Mesopotamia at the time. It is the only complete work of notated music and is dedicated to the goddess Nikkal, the wife of the god of the Moon.

Through this short article I want to convey my gratitude to all those people who opened their homes and hearts to Syrians. I know I can speak for all Syrians when I say we are grateful you took us in and gave us the most important thing in life, SECURITY! I wish you all security, happiness and peace.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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Volunteer Life VOICE TO VOLUNTEERS

Kristina Gruodytè

by Irene Cortés del Moral

Kristina Gruodytè is from Lithuania, she is 27, and in 2014-15 she was

doing EVS in Thessaloniki for 11 months. From this experience, she calls herself “blondie” because that’s how her EVS friends used to call her.

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Why did you decide to do EVS?

It was a simultaneous decision, at least how I

Kristina Gruodytè

“I didn’t expect that EVS will have such a significant impact on my life”

learnt about the programme. I heard about it from a Couchsurfing guest. First I googled it, — Kristina Gruodytè then I met one organisation in Lithuania which told me more about the whole idea of EVS and then I decided that it should be a good option started making “EVS plans” since it sounded like for me. As I was graduating from my university, good opportunity not to miss.

I wanted to do something new, have some rest What was your first impression of after studying, travel and learn. Shortly, I was Greece when you arrived? about to graduate and had no other plans, so I

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Of course the warm weather and sun. I arrived in September and one of the weekends we went to the seaside for a swim – this is unusual for people from my part of Europe. But in general, I loved Greece from the beginning. It wasn’t my first experience living abroad and in that particular part of Europe, but I still discovered lots of new and pleasant things. I would describe Greece as a place where people value the time spent with their loved ones, they appreciate good food, have a relaxed tempo and easy attitude, beautiful nature – what more could you wish?

3 Which is your favourite place in Thessaloniki?

My favourite place was the balcony with a sunset

Kristina with her friends

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view in the flat where my fellow volunteers and I used to live. But if we’re talking about the city – the castle. Again, because of the sunset view.

Sxoleio - with great people and mood, and - all the cheap places to eat around Rotonda (they are open late at night, which is again, unusual for me!)

VOICE TO VOLUNTEERS

4 What was the most important

thing that you learnt in Balkan Hotspot?

People. I learnt that no matter where you are,

what you do if you have the right people next to you – everything is fine. I gained some skills during the project, of course, – like editing videos, writing articles, organising events and it’s all precious. But now, after four years, the most important thing that is still left for me after EVS in Balkan Hotspot is – the people. People I still talk with, travel to or welcome at my home, care about. That’s the most important.

Volunteer Life

with volunteers. And I am more than sure that if not my EVS experience, I would not have gotten this job. But now I have it, and I’m happy, back in Lithuania, living and working here, trying to live my life the way I want it. I am still meeting with my EVS fellows, we do some bigger or smaller reunions somewhere around Europe, visit each other, so in this sense – EVS is still with me during my free time. And it is also with me at my job.

6 Give some advice to new EVS volunteers.

If you have started this journey, continue it. No one knows what might happen on the way, what what are you doing now? impact this experience might have on your personal or professional life. And, go out, meet peoI didn’t expect that EVS will have such a signif- ple, who knows – maybe there are friends for life icant impact on my life. But it did, mostly to my somewhere around you? Good luck! “career”. More than a year ago I got a job at Lithuanian National Agency, and now I’m working P.S. is Pizza Chris still open next to Rotonda? with international volunteering projects, dealing They are the best, go there!

5 How EVS changed your life and

Kristina with other EVS volunteers

Kristina with other volunteers

Kristina travelling during her EVS

Kristina eating pizza in Rotonda

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Volunteer Life VOICE TO VOLUNTEERS

Transition to the future The emotions from a youth exchange

by Dimitris Makridis

Imagine this: the landing takes place a sunny November afternoon crossing the Mediterra-

nean sea. Your destination is South France, Nice to be specific. Upon arrival at the airport, you see young people of your age looking for the bus, and you try to guess if within the many tourists there are also those who are in the same program as you.

Seeing all the people in the meeting point and that

is how the program begins. First greetings, first timid conversations and the typical failed attempt to remember the participant’s names. Getting-toknow-you-games, ‘’snowballs’’ of your views - all this to break the ice. We are slowly starting to discover one another, but above all, we discover ourselves from how others see us. And the days roll filled with the program running rampant along with the life that bursts every moment — ideas for projects along with small guided tours.

© Dimitris Makridis

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The locals would play Petanque, and we would

create feelings from pictures around us. We would exchange point of views with the students at the University Club. The welcoming friend of ours, Paul, would try to make us go the fastest that possible, like the locals. As if we spoke the local dialect – nicard. And we waited for Sunday to go to the stadium, wearing the red-black of the local team. We asked them what they know about these programs on the waterfront of the English who made their walk. There, in the footsteps of the old aristocrats, looking for the past as well as far to the open sea, to the future. The locals, reminiscent of Gosini’s illustration, are reluctant to speak. On the contrary, those who have experienced European mobility are glad to answer our questions. Knowing the answers first hand and not by some stylish glossy brochure.

© Dimitris Makridis

VOICE TO VOLUNTEERS

Š Dimitris Makridis

After

this research, you understand what is happening here in Nice. Young Europeans from Madeira to Estonia discussing their future and the future of the Old Continent. Different persons, from the Atlantic to the Urals, looking for primordial unity. The language that was once common to all people. Faithful followers of this long tradition of cooperation and respect among European states. The one created in the ashes of the Second World War. Everyone was promising not to return to the Europe of poverty, recession and xenophobia, but a continent which keeps broad horizons for its citizens and at the same time is open to those who embrace its ideas. The same way it welcomed Gabriel from California and Marianna from Colombia who studies here where the spirit continues his horrific journey for 20 centuries.

Volunteer Life

Š Dimitris Makridis

the struggle will have the certainty of victory because it will have the insistence of spring like the spring of Prague. And when a beautiful morning we arrive at our destination, the feast will have something of a festival on a Greek island on the 15th of August. It will be celebrated as the Berlin conquest by the allies and the end of the war.

Europe was not the secure download of a phone

application, but a creation of anxiety. There were difficulties, disagreements but when people had to, they were joined in a large chain, like the Baltic Way. The transition to the future will happen the same way with clasped hands when needed.

And the distance from Estonia to Greece will be a simple, straight line and not some hundreds of kilometres. And all this without always expecting something, as Silva said because this something is being made every single moment.

With everyone, native and non-native, we try to The take steps towards the future; by completing the youth pass. Even though, we know that the path will be difficult. It will not be a simple application filling on a web page, but a steep, uphill path. We might come along Italian bureaucracy, Greek sloth and French chatter on the way. We might have to start over from the beginning, as Poles reconstructed their damaged cities post-war. But

history of Europe continues through all these programs, the participants of YouthPass 4Future from Mitra France did not expect something; however, they are within this something which is being created. As we unexpectedly met the yellow vests crossing the Dimokratias Avenue. Walking beside them, even for a while, with steady steps towards the future, that Saturday’s November noon.

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Volunteer Life STORY OF LUCK

Aim to achieve dreams

Story of a guy who doesn’t give up on his dreams

by Agnieszka Trygar

In each edition of our magazine we write about the history of happiness. This time I have the pleasure to talk with Mohamed Al-Makni.

How long are you in Greece and what are you doing now here?

I have been here in Greece for about two years. I

wanted to come to Greece 15 years ago because my older brother Ismael Al-Makeni lived here in Thessaloniki and stayed here for work for six years. He told me about Greece as a beautiful country with friendly people. When I arrived, I discovered that he was telling the truth.

Mohamed 2018

© Mohamed Al-Makni

“I miss my country, and I hope that the war will end and security and stability will return.”

— Mohamed Al-Makni

What do you think about this country and people?

From this country, many people have fled the war and will never forget it. On this occasion, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the friendly Greek people.

What about your passions and Mohamed Al-Makni is a 31-years old guy from hobbies?

Syria. He studied at the Higher Institute of RaI sing, write poetry, stories, novels and love actdiology and he can speak in four languages: Aring a lot. Most of my friends like to listen to me abic, Turkish, English and Kurdish. He is married when I am singing and encourage me to sing. and has three children.

I wrote a little novel and filmed it with some I met Muhamed at the theatre workshops organ- friends, you can find it on my YouTube channel. ised by the Refugee Trauma Initiative in Balkan I worked in television in Syria for two years and Heart. I asked him for an interview because I no- gained a lot of experience in photography, acting ticed him as an interesting person, self-confident and directing. Here in Greece, I started studying output and acting through the Internet. I made with a passion for theatre and music. some short films and some organisations supMuhamed does not want to talk too much about port my talent as the Refugee Trauma Initiative. his country, Syria. He misses his country and With this organisation, we have done a very enparents a lot. joyable projects and met new friends. We have

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STORY OF LUCK

Volunteer Life

The Syrian civil war, which has devastated the entire country of Syria and its neighbours, is a complex conflict that involves several nations, rebel groups and terrorist organisations. What started as a nonviolent protest in 2011 quickly escalated into fullblown warfare. Since the fighting began, more than 470,000 people have been killed, with over 1 million injured. About 10% of Syrian refugees have sought safety in Europe, sowing political divisions as countries argue over sharing the burden. A further 6.5 million people are internally displaced inside Syria, 1.2 million were driven from their homes in 2015 alone.

Mohamed 2017

© Mohamed Al-Makni

also done a silent short film and a documentary film in groups. After the end of the project, the films were shown at the cinema in Thessaloniki.

There were a lot of guests from directors, journalists and Artcut Productions. I will not forget that day, and I enjoyed a lot, everyone was applauding. I was very proud of myself and got strong energy and motivation to continue. It was a very nice feeling and a fantastic day. I have so far five short films with meaningful content and a positive message.

What are your dreams and plans for the future?

Few weeks ago I started a new theater project

I can complete a project with them in the end of the workshop with a movie or show.

I am working on my movies on YouTube channel and I am also translating arabic movies in English.

Achieving a dream is not easy but not impos-

sible for me. Until this time I have not seen any opportunity to prove my presence in it, but I am optimistic that I will do something someday and the audience will appreciate it.

If you’re interested in his production and the

films which he talked about, I encourage you to check his channel on Youtube: M.Almakni Star.

organised by the Refugee Trauma Initiative in Check also our MixFix section, where you can Balkan Heart. I met new very nice friends, now find a poem written by him and translated from I am trying to harmonize with them quickly and Arabic to English.

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Local Life Upcoming events

Week Against Racism 2019 It is time to be united against racial discrimination

by Marleen Müts & André Cruz

Every year, in 21st of March, it is the International Day for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. Around this day, every year NGO called UNITED network coordinates the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. This year it is takes place on 16-24 March.

The International Day for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1966, because on 21 March 1960, police of Sharpeville in South Africa, opened fire against up to 7000 protesters, killing 69 people. Now, on this day people all over the world are called up to join together to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. 21 March is also celebrated as Human Rights Day in South Africa.

UNITED organised the first European-wide Action Week Against Racism on occasion of 21 March in 1993. Since then, UNITED coordinates the European-wide Action Week Against Racism every year with the aim to create public attention with different activities, spreading the message The theme of the campaign of 2019 is Face-to-Face.

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© Martin Naništa

or just helping to stand against racism on this week. During the campaign, the activities are organised by independent organisations and groups like NGOs, community organisations, schools, local councils and all manner of groups and individuals all over Europe.

But in order to join this celebration-protest cam-

paign, it’s important to truly understand what is racism, and how it was perpetuated throughout history. As humans, documents and records from the past show us that we had a tendency to label each other and consider some inferior or superior. The monarchies we had all around Europe are a good example of it, but already in ancient Egypt there was segregation. These values started to grow even more with the imperialist period where after invading, the imperialist country/culture forced people to apply their beliefs, traditions and cultural. Nowadays, we can observe how deep this went. Europeans (mostly), were able to spread their culture, language, religion and even beauty standards.

Upcoming events

Anti racism picnic 2018

© Balkan Hotspot

Also, during the colonialism in Africa and Asia (the slave trade period), some people worked to create the concept of scientific racism (using pseudoscience to create fake content in order to prove that some humans are superior than others by their nature). During the first half of the 19th century, Samuel Morton became famous for collection human skulls. Morton believed that people could be divided by five races and that these represented different moments of creation. He was trying to prove it according to the volume of the braincase. According to his “craniometry”, caucasians were the most intelligent people. Would not be surprising to discover that Morton itself was caucasian. This helped and encourage people to use this theories to justify slavery and racism, claiming it was “proved”, specially during the slave period in the United States.

Later, the concept of “Scientific racism” was again used to justify some of the more hostile periods of humankind (the Nazi regime used to try to make people belief that Jews were inferior). Nowadays, science based in facts acknowledge us that all of these theories were fake, based on a ideological agenda - humans are equal, the major difference it’s the amount of melanin in our skin.

Anti racism workshops 2018

© Balkan Hotspot

Anti racism picnic 2018

Local Life

© Balkan Hotspot

This year the slogan of the campaign is Time to

be United. UNITED is describing the aim of this year’s campaign as following: “We believe that now is the time to show that no matter the distance between us, we are all united in our efforts to combat discrimination, united in our goal to create cooperative, diverse European societies” (UNITED webpage). That is why next to the slogan Time to be United the theme of the whole campaign is called Face-to-Face. The organisers of the campaign are expecting to motivate people from all backgrounds to meet personally, and talk, sing, dance and simply just get to know other people, cultures, religions etc.

As in the former years, United Society of Balkans (USB) will be present and active during this week with several activities around Thessaloniki. Every year the events are being more successful as last year the screenings had a great attendance and the pic-nic organized by USB gathered people enough to cover all Pasha Garden in Thessaloniki. We hope to see you joining us on this meaningful week!

Anti racism workshops 2018

© Balkan Hotspot

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Local Life Art

Van Gogh Alive Review

by Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

This is a new wave, technology, media – call it however you want, but it definitely will con-

quer the future. The exhibition “Van Gogh – The Experience” is for those who are scared of silence of the traditional museum, for those who cannot stand museum ladies that keeps an eye on them, for those who are afraid of heaviness of the art history, for those who has contemporary life style and for those who is ready for the challenge. Moreover, if you are not an art lover this exhibition is a wonderful tool that might get your attention closer with the great artists and their paintings.

The exhibition that took place in Thessaloniki In-

ternational Exhibition Center from 23.11.2018 to 20.01.2019, invites all kind of groups of people to experience Vincent Van Goghs’ art through digital system SENCORY 4. The digital projections gets you in an illusion of the Van Goghs’ paintings. Forty high-definition projectors, cinema surround sound system, wide diameter screens create the atmosphere for memorable visual experience.

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© Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

© Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

Art

Local Life

Full scale and fragmented paintings, drawings, personal photos, videos are exposed on the wide artificial screens, it gives an opportunity to explore small and less visible details on the original works also originate the sources and influences. Some paintings suddenly appear alive, with moving figures, animals and plants. Projections provide texts with interesting facts about paintings, which might let you dive into the world of Vincent Van Gogh. © Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

© Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

created outdoors it means that dimensions of paintings were quite small - portable size. Thus reveals the main difference of the Van Gogh Alive exhibition, visitors don’t think about the authentic size of the canvas. In one hand the spectator loose possibility to discover connections through the authentic dimensions, on other hand digital projections hypnotize and welcomes you to experience entering the painting.

Of course, digitalized painting will never reflect an atmosphere of an authentic art work, especially painting or any other fundamental arts.

Vincent Van Gogh lived short life of impressionist, he suffered from delusions and psychotic attacks, despite mental illness he made about 2100 works. Van Gogh is usually recognized for his unique style of painting – colorful short strokes, many groups of strokes creates vibrations and dynamic moves that makes his paintings particularly alive. Many paintings were

© Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

There is no doubt that colorful projections and

interactive videos drags the spectator in to the dynamic and vibrating show. Even if you consider yourself an old fashioned person who likes to enjoy art in a more traditional way, I still recommend you to experience this kind of exhibition at least once in your life.

More info:

© Eglė Puodžiūnaitė

https://www.vangoghalive.gr/indexen.html

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Local Life Art

Safe Pleasure

Celebrating International Condom Day in Thessaloniki

by Sacha Bogaers

On the 13th of February, the day before Valentine’s Day, it is International Condom Day. The

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) started this day in 2009 to reduce the spread of HIV through safe sex practices. The day highlights condoms as a safe and smart choice for a healthier sexual life. This year, Thessaloniki Checkpoint organised several events in the city. They promoted the use of condoms and distributed information about sexual health. They also collaborated with Balkan Hotspot for a special edition of Tandem Language Exchange.

The program of the day started in the afternoon.

It was a bit cold and gray outside. Although this is not uncommon for February, the weather led to a more empty city. This made it harder to approach people and give them condoms and information. Still, the volunteers from Thessaloniki Checkpoint and Balkan Hotspot felt full of motivation. They went around the city to encourage more people to use condoms.

The volunteers were met with mixed responses.

Many people seemed to get somewhat uncomfortable at the thought of showing that they are using condoms. Some people did not want to take them, someone even said “I don’t need condoms, I don’t use them.” The volunteers informed this person that it would be smart to start using them. Other people were very happy to receive free condoms. “Oh, there are two in the package!” exclaimed one passerby after receiving a pack-

The Safe Pleasure Sexhibition at La Latina © Arianna Salan

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Volunteers on a mission

© Irene Cortés del Moral

Art

Local Life

age of condoms. The LOVE condoms that volunteers handed out are latex condoms that are produced by AHF. Since AHF started producing and distributing them for free in 2008, they have given out over 60 million in over 37 countries around the world.

After giving locals a better access to safe sex,

it was time for a performance on Aristotelous Square. The percussion band Paranaue, which makes Afro-Brazilian music, held a performance. They filled the square with music and rhythm, and the onlookers with excitement and joy. During the performance, volunteers walked around with flags with logos of the AHF and Checkpoint to spark people’s interest and let them understand what the performance was related to. Other volunteers went around the audience to hand out condoms and informational leaflets.

After a day full of information, it was time for

a party. In cooperation with Checkpoint, Balkan Hotspot opened a special edition of Tandem, their weekly language exchange event that takes place at La Latina bar. For the occasion, they put together a ‘sexhibition’ called Safe Pleasure.

The works in the exhibition were made by Balkan Hotspot volunteers and contributors from the UK, Greece and Italy. They reflected on a wide variety of topics, such as condom use, consent, communication and sexuality in general.

Volunteers giving out condoms

© Irene Cortés del Moral

Condoms: always in fashion!

© Arianna Salan

Amidst the good spirits and social in-

teraction, there was time for a little bit more sexual education in the form of a quiz. Ten questions about safe sex, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy tested the knowledge of the audience.

Many people got close to winning, with 8 out of 10 answers correct, but some questions were quite a challenge. For example, many people did not know what a dental dam is (it is a piece of latex used to protect the vulva during oral sex). Out of the people with the highest scores, a lottery decided who the winners were.

This educational, but also fun, program has hopefully made Thessaloniki a little bit safer. At least people had enough condoms for a safe Valentine’s Day. And in general, for everyone: make sure you get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases on a regular basis, use condoms, and make choices in your sexual life that protect your health.

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Local Life Sport

Football for all

Equality is learned by playing by Umberto Zeverini

Since November 2017, in Thessaloniki, Greece, has been taking place an event called Foot-

ball for all. The aim is to destroy the barrel of diversity, connect people and give them the possibility to spend a good day made of football and positivity.

ANIKO became officially an independent organization in June 2017 thanks to a starter grant received from The Worldwide Tribe.

The organization promotes several projects but to stay more focused in the main one, Aniko FC, this year they decided to leave the Football for all initiative in the hands of three other organizations: Refugee trauma initiative, Indigo volunteers and Balkan Hotspot.

Dan Teuma, founder of ANIKO © https://www.weareaniko.com/team/

Each one has their main interest the human

rights and are doing whatever they can to make the human rights respected.

Everything started thanks to ANIKO, an indepen- The people of these organisations put a lot of dent organization founded in 2017 by Dan Teuma with the aim to inspire change in humanitarian response. However the members of ANIKO began to be active two years before, in the summer of 2015. As they understood that the situations with the mass migration were critic, the team decided to go to The Calais Jingle (a big refugee camp near Calais, France, in use from January 2015 to October 2016) to support the displaced people.

After this experience they decided to continue

effort to work together, and it was successful. As it was proved by the first appointment with FFA on Sunday 3rd of February. The volunteers of the organizations arranged everything together in a meeting before the starting event.

In the first event already, there were more than

60 motivated players. That was unexpected for the organisers but everything worked out well.

The event took place in the TopFitness Allstar sport centre. From 11.15 am the volunteers

their mission before in Idomeni (a Greek village at the border with FYROM, check point for the migrants who want to reach the northern countries of the EU) and after in the Greek island of Lesvos.

Afterwards they moved to Thessaloniki working at the EKO Project community space, always giving support where was needed.

18

Volunteers building the teams

© Irene Cortés del Moral

Sport

Local Life

© Irene Cortés del Moral

Volunteers bringing the snacks provided by Filoxenia International © Irene Cortés del Moral

started with the registration of the people who wanted to join the game. The more experienced players were mixed with the less skilled ones in order to have as much balance in the teams as possible. After the warming up leaded by the volunteers, the games started. Every match lasted 15 minutes, but it was not organised as a tournament, people were playing just to enjoy the time together. The participants played for three hours, after that they had the possibility to have some food provided by Filoxenia International, a non-profit organization based in Thessaloniki.

er people together without caring about the gender, ethnicity, disabilities. Everyone is united by the wish to play football, meet new people, and spend a good afternoon in a positive and healthy environment. We all know how important sport is in our daily life. So this initiative gives the possibility to introduce physical activity in the life of people who may not be able to practice sport because of a situation they are in. A part from this, is incredible to see how a simple ball can destroy the huge wall of diversity created by the society.

Participants enjoying the game

Football for all takes place every first Sunday of the month. Join us, it is easy, you just need to as its name suggests. The aim indeed, is to gath- show up.

Football for all is an event opened to everyone,

Participant exulting for the goal scored

© Irene Cortés del Moral

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Out Of The Borders Social and Political issues

A new approach to an old problem

In 2001 Portugal approved a revolutionary policy on drugs. And everything changed by André Cruz

With a profound heroin problem inside the country, Portugal urged efficient and fast solutions to a problem that was growing and putting a whole country in risk.

As humankind we seem to have an attraction

to create routines, to keep habits and to develop addictions. Considering all aspects of our lives, we can rarely find a person living under our social conventions which haven’t established any of these patterns, consciously or unconsciously.

Our evolution has been sustained by inventions and tools like a clock – made to measure time – that turned us into ‘organised’ people. The ‘boom’ happened after the industrial revolution with the implementation of capitalism as the main economic and political ideology. After that, since young age our life is shaped with structured organisations that are conducted by schedules (can be kindergarten, school and so on...), which in most of the cases become similar with the work routine later. This social factor makes us more likely to develop addictions.

Defined by science as a psychological disorder,

an addiction it’s directly influenced by these social factors combined with our genetics. It’s a biopsychological disorder classified as a chronic disorder – like cancer, type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

With drug addiction as a primary focus, science

sion, etc.), noradrenaline (concentration, energy) and dopamine (motivational salience) are influenced - depending on the drug and organism, these chemical substances can either increase, decrease or simply block our production of these core hormones in our body directly affecting the way we interact with our surrounding.

Depending on where people live around the globe, humans have different socio-cultural relation with drugs, as well as different approaches and ways to think the topic. After years of fight during his mandate to try to end up the Colombian cartel’s, the former Colombian president Cesar Gavaria - who’s significant policies on the topic were the militarization and warfare against the drug producers in Colombia (Pablo Escobar was killed during this period, for example) - recognised the failure of this kind of policies: “We have to really look for the solution. We know that just repression, just prohibition doesn’t work. We know it. For certain. We have lived that.”

analysed what happens with us when we become — Cesar Gavaria, former Colombian president addicted, and it’s proofed how drugs can actively change the hormones in our brains and consequently influence our behaviour and our spirit. Most of the countries choose to criminalise and When consuming drugs, the levels of serotonin apply penalties to the citizens who are caught con(responsible for our memory, appetite, aggres- suming or in possession of any drugs. But not all…

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Social and Political issues

Portugal lived a long dictatorship between 1933 and 1974. During these 41 years, the country was closed to the world. Freedom of speech and plurality of ideas were a mere illusion due to massive repression from the political police. The country was one of the poorest in Europe (if not the poorest), and the colonial war in countries like Angola or Mozambique was normalised, under the idea

Methadone distribution in Lisbon

Out Of The Borders

of keeping this places as Portuguese territories.

People weren’t allowed to leave the country and needed a special authorisation from the government to carry a lighter. All of the factors made Portuguese people completely miss the openness and the revolutionary 60’s, that enlighten a big part of the planet with more liberal ideas and made people able to understand that some

Š theguardian.com

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Out Of The Borders Social and Political issues

Social visit to a heroin addict, in Lisbon

© Time magazine

topics could become and turn into big problems using heroin, the government together with doctors, for the humankind - drugs, for example. In 1974 psychologists and lawyers came up with a revoluthe Portuguese military gathered and put togeth- tionary decision in the country and on a global scale. er their weapons with the power of the people - on the 25th of April the military took strategical places like the radio, TV, and governmental positions and asked the people to come to the streets. Altogether people made the “carnation revolution”, peaceful from scratch where three people died by the guns of the police who shot randomly to the peaceful protesting crowd. Even the dictator was saved and sent to Brazil.

The following years were the first approach to a democratic state for the majority of Portuguese, experiencing a new level of freedom. Maybe as a consequence of all these factors, the country was not ready at all to deal with the massive arrival of heroin, due to lack of consciousness about their implications and dangers. The truth is that mid’90s Portugal had a huge problem with heroin.

After more than a decade of unsuccessful mea-

sures to stop and revert the tendency of people

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A graphic showing portuguese low overdoses rate © independent.co.uk

Social and Political issues

Out Of The Borders

On July 1st 2001, Portugal became the first

country to decriminalise all drugs. What does that mean? That from that moment the possession of small amounts of any drugs wouldn’t result in prison or fines. Instead of being considered criminals by law, drug possessors would be started to be treated as patients taking the issue to a health problem instead of a legal challenge.

From that moment people caught with drugs in the country wouldn’t be made to face a judge instead, they were forwarded to a centre where they could talk with lawyers, social workers and psychologists to put in practice what was called the “dissuasion” process. Before this law, 90% of the budget to fight drugs was spent on enforcement and only 10% on healthcare. After, it was reversed. Without the fear of getting incarcerated, Portuguese drug users started to feel safer while asking for help and in 9 years the number of people in rehab changed from around 9 thousand to approximately 25 thousand; during the same period, the Portuguese using heroin decreased a half (100 thousand to 50 thousand).

Beside the dissuasion process, the government

started to provide tools (needles, and primary medical care) in the field to those who need them - essential to control and avoid to spread diseases while sharing these tools - as well as sending psychologists to the ground to help to find addicts and follow their daily life.

Resuming, after this policy was approved there’s a

realistic approach to drugs in the country. The numbers speak for themselves: overdoses barely happen, drug addicts decrease every year and the HIV infection rate it’s not increasing. Considering how the world works nowadays and even Portuguese geographic position, trying to end drugs in the country would be utterly unrealistic. Instead, Portugal chooses to face the problem, using a humane and health-led approach, which is educating and healing the country towards a global-scale problem — hopefully followed by other countries soon.

The kit which is provided by the state for a safer consumption and disease control

© Time Magazine

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Out Of The Borders Social and Political issues

Learning the harmony in difference

by Marleen Müts

When there is a person different in some way from the majority, it is usual to see people

turning heads, paying attention to the different habits, appearance or language. Lately, it has become a problem connecting the whole world. The society is turning fast into more diverse and mixed. And I believe all of us have noticed - intolerance is haunting us all around. What are the reasons and possible solutions for that?

In November of 1995, UNESCO’s Member States

adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

It says that tolerance is respect and appreciation of the variety of the world’s cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognises the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse and only tolerance can make sure that the mixed communities all over the world will continue existing. But as logical as it sounds, news headings similar to “Vandals draw swastikas on the van of a man who is honouring refugees walking through countries” or “A refugee was stabbed in racially-motivated attack” are something we see too often. So what is the reason that makes people commit actions, that spread the discrimination and hatred around?

“The key to overcoming hate is education.”

the other, unfamiliar cultures, nations, religions. It is called in-group out-group theory, which means that people that do not belong in the same ethnic, cultural, religious etc. group seem to be someone, who is unknown and might be the danger for the familiar group. That’s why intolerance is also closely linked to a strong sense of self-worth and pride, whether personal, national or religious. It is learned at an early age, and as a newcomer, it is harder to integrate into the society that has a high national pride. The migrant crisis can also be observed as a group process, because it makes changes in the way society works. In this case, it takes time to make the group work again in the Intolerance can often be rooted in ignorance and same phase when it has lost its rhythm after the fear. Fear can be associated with the unknown, of changes. So it is normal to have an unbalance in the society in this case and it can only be solved when accepting the change and finding the way to peacefully help the ones who need it.

Protest against the entry of refugees into Portugal © http://theportugalnews.com/

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Refugee Trauma Initiative aims to help refugees integrate the society. © https://www.refugeetrauma.org/

Social and Political issues

Tolerance is the responsibility that upholds hu-

man rights, pluralism (including cultural), democracy and the rule of law. Humans are all born with the capacity for aggression as well as compassion. The reasons of hatred can also be associated with personal insecurities, like lack of self-compassion and projecting personal insecurities to the situation. Which tendencies we embrace requires careful choice by individuals, families, communities and our culture in general.

The key to overcoming hate is education: at home, in schools, and the community. Kostas Achile is a psycho-social worker in the organisation Refugee Trauma Initiative in Thessaloniki. The organisation is working on giving young people from age 18-24 years social and psychological support, not only locals but also for refugees. The aim is also to help refugees to integrate to the society. Kostas confirms that the reason for intolerance is the lack of integration and contact between people.

“The mistake we make, is that we associate refugees as one group, but they are not. Refugees as a group are already divided, and there are already problems between themselves.”

“The mistake we make, is that we associate refugees as one group, but they are not.”

— Kostas Achile, a psycho-social worker in Refugee Trauma Initiative

Integration to the society depends on where the

refugees are coming from and in which country they are. For some people, the alliance is more comfortable. For others, it is a very long and painful process. The intolerance and noticing the skin colour or language accompanies the refugees ev-

Theatre workshop in Balkan Heart by Kostas Achile © Kostas Achile

Out Of The Borders

erywhere. In the bus, street and especially while looking for a job. It is hard to be trusted by the locals unless you are speaking the language.

Kostas refers that making a difference between usual and different has become standard in our society by now. Even people who have lived in Greece their whole life and speak Greek but have different skin colour, experience staring or can see people feeling in danger because of the presence of a person with different skin colour. Only when speaking Greek, can the tension be released.

Refugee Trauma Initiative has different solutions

to how to help the refugees to integrate into society. One of these are workshops that connect youth from Greece and refugees. Kostas is stating that the problem is about people avoiding contact with refugees. And we do not have enough activities to make the connection with refugees. But while developing some communication, the migrants are not seen as a threat anymore but seen as humans.

Theatre workshop is a good example of that when stepping out of our comfort zone. We are all the same, doesn’t matter where we were born.

Intolerance and racism is something that unfor-

tunately has become normality in our daily life.

When not paying attention to that, it could easily stay like this. But with reaching people, being curious and making an effort to educate ourselves, we can make a difference. 21 March is the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Connected to that, we invite you to open your mind to difference and stand up against any kind of racism or intolerance.

Anti-racism demonstration in London © http://refugeerightscampaign.org

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Out Of The Borders Social and Political issues

L’association: The Revolutionary Approach to Difference

How separating church and state in the 19th century builds bridges in the 21st century.

by Ellyze Francisco

Before hitting the 20-minute mark in a conversation with a French person they will inevitably

mention, with pride, that they are a part of an “association,” or in layman’s terms, non-profit organisation. It will usually be followed by an activity or cause, like a sport, humanitarian action, or a general shared identity. As of 2019, there are more than 1,300,000 registered associations in France.

Associations

According to the French Government website,

The Association Law of 1901 was one of many public policies passed in France in the late 19th century. At this time, both the government and the people aimed to separate church and state.

The new policy allowed French people to create associations and express themselves outside of the political field, hence reducing the strength of the Church.

an association is an agreement under which two or more people combine and employ knowledge and activities with a common goal (other than sharing profits). In a nutshell, associations are government supported but civilian operated groups created solely on the basis of shared interest. This interest can be virtually anything, from cultural activities (e.g. arts and crafts), to professional (older business owners), or sports (e.g. pétanque and soccer). This cause should still be in line with the French Constitution, but it is again, nevertheless, democratic.

they use examples like the pyramids of Ancient Egypt and the economic and political groups of the Middle Ages to explain that humans have always needed a community to function.

Where do they come from?

Therefore, in modern day France, if two or more

Nowadays, on the French Government website,

people find a common interest, activity, or cause they can go to the local government and ask to humanistic values for which France is famous. declare themselves as a legal group, or non-govLaïcité, or irreligion, and constructivism, the ernment organisation. By doing so, they assume idea that human development is a social and constitutional rights for their cause and create a cultural process. traditional way to work towards it.

The idea of the association comes from two

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Social and Political issues

How do they operate?

Out Of The Borders

Usually,

the words “‘group’” or ‘“community’” initially invoke a feeling of connectedness and What does this mean? The government not belonging. However, this seemingly innocent only allows but supports the creation of private phenomenon becomes a double-edged sword. groups amongst civilians as long as they generAlthough communities find cohesion through ally follow these rules: common interest or identity, they can also

1) The

association must have a bureau.

Potentially create borders and become excluThere should be a president, secretary, sive. Outsiders can find it challenging to tap into and treasurer. a community.

2) The association must have a legal place To counterbalance this, French government polto meet.

3) The association must have a bank account and birthdate.

4) The

association must be democratic and non-for-profit (unless stated otherwise).

Associations can also collaborate or even the

local government. For example, in the local government of Le Mans in the Department of La Sarthe, the cultural theme of the year is “être citoyen,” or “Be a Citizen”. Some associations will hold events based on these ideals. Besides, after being established for a certain amount of time, associations can ask for government financial aid in organising and holding events.

What questions does it answer in the face of the difference?

icy mandates associations to be inclusive, encouraging everyone to engage in the community at the core of the association. In other words, associations construct well-established communities without creating walls, something rare in our increasingly polarised world. This law effortlessly underlines but celebrates ‘“difference”’ in a respectful way. For example, associations allow people from various demographics to interact through cultural activity.

In 1981, the French government went so far

as to give rights to legal immigrants to create associations themselves. The passing of this law not only understands how others are also human beings in need of the community but gives French civilians a chance to be a part of something different.

Perhaps in 2019, we can use the ideas behind

The interesting aspect of the French association the French Association as a model for how we is that it takes a unique approach to the theme can approach difference, that is to say, by startof “difference”. ing with our similarities.

27

Out Of The Borders Sustainability

Is youth our (only) hope?

How a 15-year-old girl made young people across the world rise up for the climate

by Sacha Bogaerst

It was August 2018. In Stockholm, Sweden, a 15-year-old girl sat down outside the building of the Swedish parliament. She said that she was on a school strike for the climate and that she would be doing so until the Swedish elections on 9 September 2018. Some people felt that she should be in school, others were saying that her protest was useless. Still, she also got support, and she caught many people’s attention. After a while, she received more publicity. Other youth started to follow her example - in Sweden and abroad. Her name is Greta Thunberg.

One of the reasons for the hope she gave was

young people. According to Goodall, who is involved in developing a youth program called Roots & Shoots, young people are committed, have a lot of energy, and put in a lot of hard work.

Her belief in youth was nice to hear - too often, adults discredit youngsters, do not take them seriously. We continuously hear all kinds of stereotypes about teenagers: that they are lazy, irresponsible, arrogant, selfish. But the movement that Greta has now sparked shows a different side of teenagers and young people.

In the past months, more and more children and

teenagers have been following Greta’s example. After the Swedish elections, she decided to Greta Thunberg at the beginning of her school strike for the climate © @GretaThunberg/Instagram

Greta Thunberg is just one person, but her activism reminded me of words I heard a few months ago. I was attending a lecture by Jane Goodall, an English primatologist who is especially known for her research on chimpanzees. I have admired her for a long time. As a child, I was fascinated, perhaps even a bit obsessed with apes and monkeys, and this woman that went into the wild to study them was an excellent example for me. Goodall, now 84, is still working hard, now to preserve species on this planet. In the lecture that I attended, she shared why she feels that there are reasons for hope for our future.

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Greta Thunberg met Jane Goodall at the World Economic Forum © @GretaThunberg/Instagram

Sustainability

keep striking one day per week, on Fridays. The term Climate Strike is now used by young people around the world, under the slogan ‘Fridays for Future’. In January, 35.000 students marched through the streets of Brussels, demanding that politicians address the climate crisis. Not everyone appreciates their efforts: some people argue that they should protest in their free time. Perhaps they could, but it is likely that Greta’s attempt would not have gained as much attention if she would have done so.

It is impressive to see that the actions of just

one person can have such significant influence.

In December 2018, Greta was invited to speak at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

She was not afraid to speak her mind, and it was

“Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago.”

— Greta Thunberg at United Nations Climate Change Conference

Students marching for the Climate in Brussels on the 31st of January

Out Of The Borders

amazing to see how a 15-year-old dared to speak in front of world leaders and was able to pass important message with her speech.

Time Magazine named Greta one of the world’s most 25 influential teenagers of 2018. Then, in January 2019, she gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In Davos, she argued that the responsibility for climate change could be attributed to a big extent to many of the attendees of the World Economic Forum: business people. She criticised that within our current economic system, people are always searching for more money and growth.

She argued that she doesn’t want hope, but she wants actions.

Greta’s words are inspiring many - but hopefully, they will not only lead to inspiration but also actions. Of course, we cannot yet predict what the student protests will bring, but one thing can be said for sure: the current youth is worried about their future, and they are willing to stand up for it. Greta shows that indeed, “you are never too small to make a difference.”

© @celestebnews/Twitter

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Out Of The Borders MUSIC

Kërkim

Playing the differences

by Arianna Salan

Their symbol is an open eye, but their language is music. Let’s meet Kërkim, a music

band from South Italy that since 2012 explores the musical cultures of the Mediterranean area and the Balkans.

Not a folk group, not a jazz band, not from the

into the big and complex melting pot of Balkan and Mediterranean folk music.

It was born from an idea by Manuela Salinaro, musician and researcher in music. She is from Puglia, a region in the South of Italy, but her studies focus on Balkan music for a long time. She explains that the name of her band represents their project: «The idea of Kërkim is that of carrying on dialogues among the musical cultures around the Mediterranean Sea. We started from Albania, for it being so close to Italy and to myself, on a personal level». Kërkim is an Albanian word that means “to observe”, “to research”.

That’s what the group does, that’s how they dive

«Each one of us, each member of the group comes from a different musical path», explains Manuela, «who comes from classical music, who from jazz, who from the tradition of marching bands. So even the dialogue among us, among our different styles, has an impact on the interpretation of the traditional original themes that we encounter and study». The group’s core is of 4 elements, including percussionist Manuela herself, clarinettist and sax player Vincenzo Grasso, string expert Morris Pellizzari and accordion player Bruno Galeone.

Balkans, not playing Italian music. So what is it? It’s all of this together and much more. It’s «The main idea, how the band was born, is to Kërkim: a musical project that looks for creating listen with full respect to other countries’ folk, dialogues, in music, among the people that live, and start a dialogue with it, reading it through and sound, around the Mediterranean Sea. our keys and features».

«But I like to think that everyone who leaves for this musical journey with us becomes part of the group. We collaborate with a lot of other musicians, singers, and the core group itself has evolved throughout the years».

Kërkim performing

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© Kërkim official Facebook page

The musical journey always starts from a physical one: «We travel, and we meet local musicians.

This is our main source: meeting the people, the culture, and exchange music; joining workshops, playing together, listen to them telling us about their traditions. Travelling and meeting are the starting point, and then also listening to a lot of music, that’s my research» explains Manuela. Folk

MUSIC

Out Of The Borders

© Kërkim official Facebook page

Kërkim on one of their travels

is a multifaceted genre, but in Kërkim’s approach space. Listen to Kërkim allows one to get lost – is much more about similarities than differences. at least for the space of our concert, or album – and feel to be part of a whole, not just of a specific territory».

“I would like to challenge the

idea of borders, boundaries.”

— Manuela Salinaro

«Folk music cultures tell stories, it’s the music

Even

when re-elaborating traditional themes from other countries, the group inevitably has its style: «We put our own story in the transcription so that the result will have some Italian influences. Our it’s a particular genre, it’s not just a muddle of different styles without any direction, it’s an ongoing dialogue among each other: the musicians, the styles, the cultures. Music is a very important channel of communication».

The group dimension reflects this approach, as the differences among the members are complementary: everyone contributes to the unique voice of Kërkim.

of the people, and it tells a lot about local history and traditions. From work songs to funerals, dances and music, the expressions, the melodies, bring the stories of the people. The stories of the people that overlook the Mediterranean have a lot in common, and you can see it from the musical structures, in the harmonies. So why don’t we tell those stories to people, and maybe try to open some mental space? I would like to challenge the idea of borders, boundaries and at I was personally very curious about the role of least with music we can create this kind of open Manuela in the group. I asked her how it is like to

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Out Of The Borders MUSIC

be, as a woman, the founder of the group and the peculiarity to be a percussionist. She explained to me that it is natural to her: «I don’t personally feel it as a strange, it is highlighted mostly from other people, but - I think - always positively. If we want to connect it to the role of women, it is a very powerful dimension: keeping the rhythm, as for the musical structure, is a fundamental role because it means to stay behind and sustain the whole performance, and it is good to show that we can also do it. But I’m saying this without controversy, it flows naturally to me, and I like to highlight it, that’s all».

The journey of Kërkim has swept the Balkan

area, and now it’s time for them to go far beyond, as they are currently working on their second album. The single “Tre Tzigani” anticipates this new work: it’s a song from the Roma tradition celebrating the happy notes of the gipsy life, and the intention is also to pay honour to the term “gipsy”, that is and has been very much mistreated by history and news.

«The fundamental topic of our project is the

travel: the travel that opens your mind, that opens the borders and above all that brings you density, stories, from which we can learn a lot.

If only we would put ourselves in the condition of learning and listening, instead of constantly thinking about telling something, maybe we could be something different».

But the new album will lead Kërkim further beyond the Mediterranean, pointing at North Africa and the Middle East. It can be seen as the Chapter II of their previous work: «Not only we will explore the music of different countries than those we started from, but also we will focus more on the lyrics» explains Manuela. «We will have more singing than in the first album. The idea is not only to go further down geographically but also to take on the narrative dimension. In the lyrics of a lot of traditional music you can find the history of the people».

The members of Kërkim also have an interesting

approach toward the linguistic differences, that they encounter both in the research moment and in the performance. As for the study and creative moment, Manuela explains that they always ask a native speaker to translate for them the lyrics, so to be able to understand and better dialogue, in music, with the song. Then, when it comes to the concert, it also a matter of communication.

«For example, we were in Bulgaria some time ago, and the Bulgarian language is really difficult for us, as it has completely different structures and sounds. So we had these papers with some words that we learned for the concert... We like to create an atmosphere of dialogue since the beginning. We don’t introduce ourselves overwhelmingly in our own language and we try to avoid the exclusive use of English. We try to get close to the language of the place that is hosting us, I think it is the first form of respect in a dialogue situation. Of course, we didn’t come back knowing the Bulgarian language, but we always bring something home with us».

The new journey of Kërkim has just started, and

Kërkim notes for opening the concert in Bulgaria © Instagram @kerkim.music

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the new album will be ready around next summer.

Meanwhile, the attentive eye that represents the group will keep overlooking the Mediterranean shores, and searching for music, stories, people, and new ways of exploring the differences.

travel

Out Of The Borders

A different style of travelling: Hitchbiking Hitchhiking fun with a folding bicycle

by Arno Doepper

Hitchhiking, also known as autostop, can be a cheap and fun way of travelling. You are sort

of flexible on how you move around. Well, kind of. You do depend on cars stopping. What about as well bringing a (folding) bike? How much more fun would that be? Or would it make things only more complicated? people. The general randomness creates excitement. It is nice to travel slowly and to see many different places. Many people have written about hitchhiking before. And there are online communities where people share their experiences and give insight and advice about it. ( www.hitchwiki. org). So I won’t go that general direction. I want to talk about what I consider quite an enhancement of mere hitchhiking. I want to talk about hitchbiking — one letter change. But a quite different experience.

Hitchbiking, it’s hitchhiking with a folding bike.

Or at least in my case. I also met people who Hitchhiking must have started as soon as the hitchhike with a regular bike. But I don’t. My bike first vehicles were rolling on the roads. Makes folds. sense, if there is a free space on a car or carriage why not hop in? These days I am often To contextualise, I’ll explain how I came up with told that “hitchhiking used to be more common”. this unusual (some people might call weird), idea: Well, I don’t know. I didn’t live or at least didn’t 20 months back, hitchhiking was my usual way of hitchhike, during the time’s people are referring moving around. I started thinking about taking a to. What I can tell is that it still works. In some folding bike with me. It began as a small idea, and I countries, people stop more quickly, in others guess because I was always fed up having to walk you have to wait a bit more. But at some point, with my big backpack 30 min to a friends place someone stops. Also in Greece. (from where the drivers drop me off.) So the obvious thing for a lazy mind to think is: how nice would I assume there’s no point in going too much in it be to have a bike for that distance? Or for any detail what hitchhiking is. Most of you already length. Why not have a bike with me all the time? know it. And the reasons for people to choose Once this seed was planted, I couldn’t stop thinking this different style of moving from A to B are also about it. Every time someone dropped me off, or I quite intuitive: It’s free. It’s fun to meet all kinds of had to walk or take a bus to the right hitchhiking

The locked gate at a service station, having to wait for a worker to let me in © Arno Doepper

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Out Of The Borders travel

spot I wished for a bike. (There was also a very brief Pros: phase where I was considering inline-skates, but for • The bike can carry your luggage, so your spine obvious reasons that idea was dismissed quickly.) doesn’t have to (so if needed you can load So I started researching other people who have more weight than you would without a bike) combined hitchhiking and biking. I did find some people, but no consistent or detailed information. • You can decide whether you want to travel by bike or hitchhike (mostly it’s a combination So at some point, my friends couldn’t bear listening of both, cycling 20km to a sweet hitchhiking to me anymore talking about folding bikes. So bespot, riding some hundreds of kilometres, and ing in a comfortable situation (money, time, other then cycling to your actual destination) – you privileges), I decided to give hitchbiking a go. I got a can decide to only cycle beautiful bits and not (proper) folding bike (450€ second hand - 24 gears) hitchhike for a while, which is more like bike and decided I have to go somewhere. I chose to go touring. south to Sicily. Because I love the language, wanted to learn it properly, and I already knew some Ital- • If you are a bit lazy, you can hitch up a hill and ian. Also, I like ice cream and pizza. That was 16 cycle downwards (or the other way around) months ago. Since then I (almost always) take the • You can cycle to service stations located on bike wherever I go. Not that I am continually movthe highway and enter via one of the small sering these days, these days I am staying more put in vice roads behind (depending on the country, Greece. But when I move, I take the bike. sometimes they are difficult to access)

Of course, there are many pros and cons if you • Flexibility: no (or at least less) need of public

compare normal hitchhiking to hitchhiking with a folding bike. To get a better idea, I will list some:

Sleeping setup with a hammock under olive trees in Italy

34

transportation like buses (especially in cities) – that means you can explore towns, villages

© Arno Doepper

travel

© Arno Doepper

Joining a “critical mass” bike demonstration in Bologna

or hidden beaches with your bike and hitchhike further afterwards. That also means there is no (or less) need for black-riding or spending money on tickets. Also, dumpster diving (= getting leftover food from supermarkets) is more comfortable and more flexible with a bike.

Out Of The Borders

• Drivers have to make fewer detours for you.

You can cycle the last bit.

• You get to use warmshower.org – a Couch-

maybe the people you stay with also commute via bicycle and don’t need to adapt to you not having a bike. (If you want to do things together.)

surfing alternative for cyclists only. But also on Couchsurfing it seems easier to find a host when mentioning that you are bike touring.

This is again the trust thing. I think there is this common thought of “bad people wouldn’t do bike touring”.

while asking for a ride or dealing with the police. (Especially if you really look like a cyclist: helmet, panniers, ...)

to find friends (of course also for non-cyclists – but having a bike makes the first contact easier) – and you can join local Critical Mass events!

• You don’t get stuck in a bad hitchhiking spot.

just very healthy and usually more difficult to include in hitchhiking only trips (at least for me)

• Having a bike can be very convenient because

• Trust: people tend to trust someone travelling • Self-organised bike kitchens are good spots on a bike. They are curious. This can be useful

• It is easier to find a good and secluded spot for • You get to do some physical exercise – which wild-camping.

You can just cycle somewhere else.

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Out Of The Borders travel

Cons:

• You have to take into account that repair-

ing a bike costs money. And requires knowledge. It is more effort to get into cars. You need to fold your bike. Maybe use a cover if it is rainy not to spoil the back seat (my bike fits perfectly on 1,5 seats). This can be a bit annoying on busy roads. (That’s why cycling to a service station is very convenient – I rarely start on the road.)

• Sometimes you might not fit into the car with

• Folding bikes are expensive. If you want one

with a good gear ratio – suited for climbing a hill – you will have to spend some money (the Dahon Speed TR I use can be found for ~450€ second hand)

• So I hope I could spark some excitement for

this alternative way of travelling. It is a lot of fun. If you want to read more into this, you can search for “hitchbikerevolution” online, and you should find me.

the bike. But this is actually rare. Most people drive alone or in two and have space for a bike.

• Hitchhiking

with another friend (without a bike) is more difficult because you have to fit two people and a bike (also one bike is not very useful for two people) – but it is doable!

• It seems to be more of a solo thing to do, which

is fine if you like travelling alone. Unless both people have one of the expensive folding bikes that fold really small, then both will fit.

• Your bike can get stolen (that would be annoy-

ing.) But also it is folding, so you can store it inside more easily.

© Arno Doepper

Finally, whether with or without a bike, I think it is

important to mention that hitchhiking itself is a lot connected to privileges. It is something that initiala ride. But it is also not too hard to make it vis- ly I have not taken into consideration myself. Your ible. By having your bike folded for example. passport, your assumed gender, your skin colour, your health, your supposed sexual orientation, the list could go on. All of that generally in life plays a role and can make things more difficult and less comfortable. It of course also matters while travelling in general, whether you are taking a train or a bus. But as you put yourself in a bit more vulnerable position while hitchhiking it, these factors can be more inhibiting. I can not share experiences about that. But if you for example search for “solo female hitchhiking” you will hear many, most likely inspiring, stories of other hitchhikers. And maybe even hitchbikers.

• It might not be evident that you are looking for

I love when the bike fits, even though I thought it wouldn’t © Arno Doepper

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Sports and Health

Out Of The Borders

January - The National Blood Donor Month The best way how to start a new year is to spill some blood, don’t you think?

by Martin Naništa

January is the month when transfusion centers experience a significant decrease in the

number of blood donors and are forced to dig deeper into their “bloody” stocks. The main reason of this initiative is therefore to get back the donors from their “holiday” to do their “business” again.

Idea

In the winter, everyone is sick, traveling or hav-

ing other excuses why they can’t visit the blood transfusion station and donate blood. But people are still getting hurt. We are very fragile creatures, easily to damage, so the blood is still needed. Despite this and many other facts, some clever minds came up with the idea to make January the National Blood Donor Month. They hope that this initiative will catch attention of the few strong individuals who are able to share this precious red fluid. I am a donor myself, so I fully support this initiative.

Why donate?

Donating blood is a small sacrifice that can

make a big difference. Victims of accidents, people undergoing surgery, patients on leukemia, cancer, blood cell disease, all of them need blood. Worldwide, more than 26.5 million units of blood components are administered to patients

in one year. Blood donation is a real “gift of life” that a healthy individual can provide to people who are sick and injured. It is a very beneficial, safe and simple human act. The process is really easy and only requires you to make a few simple preparations. In the list below, I will share how it works in my country - Slovakia.

1

Meet the conditions for donation

• Age 18-60, if you are regular donor you can donate till the age of 65

• Men can donate every 3 months and women every 4 months from the last donation

• Body weight at least 50kg • You may not be a carrier of the HIV virus (have AIDS)

• You cannot have had hepatitis type B and C • You cannot suffer from other serious and chronic diseases

Never donate blood under these circumstances:

• Drug use intravenously or internally now or in the past.

Give blood save life

© corporatewellnessmagazine.com

• Providing or accepting paid sexual services.

• Sexual intercourse between men.

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Out Of The Borders Sports and Health

• Promiscuous way of life with frequent rotation of sexual partners.

24 hours before, don’t expose yourself to excessive mental and physical exertion, omit training.

• Use of anabolic steroids not prescribed by a Alcohol,

high-fat foods, exercise and some medicines can transiently cause increased liver • Treatment of blood clotting disorder with blood enzyme activity (ALT). Make sure you’re relaxed, fresh, after a long sleep, because your physical products. condition reflects in the quality of your blood. physician.

2 Preparation for blood donation

It’s necessary that you’re adequately hydrated.

24 hours before donation drink plenty of fluids, at least 2 liters (water, mineral water, tea, fruit juice). In the morning before donation, drink at least 500 ml of fluids.

Black coffee is also allowed. In the evening before donation, don’t eat high-fat foods (cheese, butter, cream, meat dishes and products, etc.).

It’s convenient to eat light carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, biscuits, pastry, jam, honey, etc. Before donation don’t smoke (at least 6 hours), don’t drink alcohol (at least 12 - 14 hours), and

3 Process of donation

• Registration - bring an ID card, health insurance card and your blood donor card (you get it after your first donation)

• Fill the questionnaire that includes your per-

sonal identification information and various important questions about your health, lifestyle, risk factors, and over-the-counter diseases. Fill it truly. Share the facts that could harm the donor’s health (inducing epileptic seizures in epilepsy, heart failure in serious heart disease, etc.), but also a potential recipient of a transfusion.

Statistics on blood donation. Myths about blood donation. Quotes. Encouraging people to donate

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© studymedicineeurope.com

Sports and Health

Out Of The Borders

• Ask for anything you do not understand in the questionnaire! It is very important that you understand all the questions asked.

• Nurse will take a blood sample from you for analysis (haemoglobin level, blood count)

• Wait for results and then you proceed to the doctor for quick check (temperature, blood pressure) - at this point you will know if you can or cannot donate and why)

• Snack time - Neapolitan wafers + sweet tea (only for donors, others go home and can try their luck next time)

• Donation - it takes 5-15 minutes and you donate 450 ml of blood

• After donation - relax, no rush, drink fluids, eat (you get sandwich, coffee, chocolate - for next 24 to 48 hours, a balanced diet, an increased number of fluids and rest are recommended)

What happens to donated blood?

© jansky.cz

• And that’s it - you’re a hero now • Wait 3 months (men)/ 4 months (women) • Donate again

ponent, blood platelets, stops bleeding in cutaneous injuries and open bleeding. Often, they are administered to patients treating both cancer and transplant patients.

Blood processing

gest reward for you is a good feeling and (free day from work) the knowledge that your effort could help someone who needs that. I love it. Beside that you can earn medals (badges) for certain amount of donations which “unlocks” you some benefits (depends on country of course) like free public transportations or free entrance to the swimming pool. Not bad, right?

Before the blood is used for transfusion for the patient, it should be examined - for the presence of the antigen of Type B infectious hepatitis, anti-HIV antibodies and C-type yeast, the tests for syphilis, as well as the liver tests. If blood test results are satisfactory, the blood is divided into individual components that can help save lives. Red blood cells, oxygen carriers, save lives during surgery and after injuries. Plasma, the liquid component of blood, is intended for patients suffering from blood clotting disorders. The third comDoc Hearthead © halleheartchildrensmuseum.org

The blood donation is a very human act. The big-

Rewards for donors in Slovak and Czech rep. (medal of Jan Janský - bronze, silver, gold) © donateblood.com.au

39

Out Of The Borders Cinema

Monsters and men

Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water portrays a love story that overcomes any difference. by Francesco Cirica

What is love? What does “normal” mean? And what can be considered a monster? In his Academy Award winning film, Guillermo del Toro tackles subjects as diversity, disability and intolerance depicting a love story that is different than anyone else.

Everyone knows how a Princess should look

like. Everyone knows the appearance of Prince Charming. And nobody would probably imagine them respectively as a 40-something old mute janitor woman and a 1,90 meters tall amphibian creature from an Amazonian River.

Nobody, except director Guillermo Del Toro.

In 1962 Baltimore, Eliza is a silent woman who

works as a cleaning service in a government research facility. Here she encounters a mysterious creature that both the USA and the USSR want to use to win the race to space. Unlike her bosses - who consider him only an “asset” that should be held captive - Eliza can see through the differences between her and the “Monster” until they fall in love with each other.

“The beauty of the movie - Del Toro says - is the

© 20th Century Fox

tious to underline the differences between the two lovers. Prosthetics and make-up worked very hard to create the look of the creature to make his appearance attractive and unfamiliar at the same time; so you can find a perfect shape bottom and a greek profile as well as scales, claws and gills. Del Toro shows that the Creature is capable of feelings and sweet moments of tenderness, but doesn’t forget to depict his feral side. As actor Doug Jones (who plays the Creature) remembers: “Guillermo had to remind me I’m an animal, I had to fight the instinct to have human reactions, […]

Guillermo kept growling at me. ‘Grrr! Dougie!’

All he had to do was make that noise, and I knew, right right, animal. Got it.”

On the other hand, Eliza and her friends are a

group of outcasts, people that have no place in embodiment of the otherness” and he is cau- the Moralist America of the sixties. It’s due to the

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Cinema

A close encounter between Eliza and the Creature.

colour of their skin, to their sexual preferences or, of course, to a physical disability; but are their “flaws” that make them able to understand each other. If Eliza’s handicap prevents her from communicating with others, she doesn’t need words to speak to the Creature. A gentle touch, a tender gaze or few dance steps are enough to create a non-verbal language that has the power to bring their different worlds together.

The Shape of Water is all about that. It constantly aims to unsettle its viewers shaking their beliefs and subverting the common sense. In order to do so, the film makes a bold move putting under the spotlight not only a disabled woman but also a sexually active one, and pushes this representation one step forward showing her desires towards a non-human creature, as if King Kong finally gets the girl, and she’s happy to run in his arms. Furthermore, the villain is not a monster but a white Anglo-Saxon and Protestant strong

Out Of The Borders

© 20th Century Fox

male, like the ones that usually play the role of the hero in the average Hollywood Movie.

The film has a familiar fairy tale structure to sub-

vert traditional gender and racial representation.

Del Toro’s film is able to convey a powerful and thoughtful feeling that fits perfectly for our troubled times. In a world where governments shut down the borders, and the public discourse became more racist and intolerant day by day, The Shape of Water makes us take the side of the injured and the derelicts, reminding us - at the very same time - that we are more similar to the villain than what we would like to admit.

But still, the story tells that we also have the

strength to change; because for every difference that pulls us apart, there’s something that brings us together. It’s all that it takes to wreck down the wall that ignorance and prejudice built and (finally) live happily ever after.

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Out Of The Borders books

4 books to read about the Holocaust

A brief insight in the history

by Wali Benia

The genocide of the Jews is undoubtedly one of the worst periods in the history of humanity.

As the 27th of January was officially the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it’s an occasion to have more details about this period. During the Second World War, the Nazi regime killed between five and six millions of people. Judged and sentenced because of their « differences » they were considered inferior people, which helped to justify the barbarity and the intolerance. The literature is rich on this topic: poetry, novels, theatre, essays and of course a lot of autobiographical stories. Here you can find some suggestions to understand this tragedy a bit more.

“If this is a man” (“Se questo è un uomo”) – Primo Levi

When we are talking about the Holocaust, the

name of Primo Levi is well-known. Mostly from this book which is, in fact, his autobiographical story.

Primo Levi (1919-1987) was born in Italy. He tells his experience as a prisoner in a camp during 19431945. Indeed, he was captured by the Fascists in 1943 in Italy and sent to a detention camp. Afterwards, the Nazi took him and other Italian Jews, and they were transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Published in 1947, the book was classified as a memoir because it uses memories of the writer. From his capture to his life moments inside Auschwitz, Primo Levi suffered a lot of issues and horrible experiences. It is (unfortunately)

Cover of “If this is a man” by Primo Levi © Wikipedia

extremely well-described. The book show’s through his own story how human suffer was enormous in the case of the Jews during the Holocaust.

Extract from “If this is a man”:

«Sooner or later in life, everyone discovers that

perfect happiness is unrealizable, but few pauses to consider the antithesis: that complete unhappiness is equally unattainable. The obstacles preventing the realisation of both these extreme states are of the same nature: they derive from our human condition which is opposed to everything infinite. Our ever-insufficient knowledge of the future opposes it: and this is called, in the one instance, hope, and in the other, the uncertainty of the following day. The certainty of death opposes it: for it places a limit on every joy, but also every grief. The inevitable material cares to fight it: for as they poison every lasting happiness, they equally assiduously distract us from our misfortunes and make our consciousness of them intermittent and hence supportable.»

“Address Unknown” - Kressman Taylor

In 1933, Martin was coming back to Germany while his friend and colleague Max (American Jew) is still working in the art gallery in the Unit-

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books

Cover of “Address Unknown”

by Kressman Taylor © Wikipedia

ed States. Both friends are art dealers and have known each other for a long time. They continue to discuss by letters about their situation. In this correspondence, Martin describes the increasing power of the Nazi Party and the development of the anti-Semitic ideas in Germany. Martin seems interested and shortly he announces his interest to the Nazi ideology. Max starts to understand the situation and tries to convince his old friend to give up this thought or at least to protect his sister who is also living in Germany. However, the letters are more and more delayed, and Martin becomes worried for his sister.

Kresmann Taylor was a nickname chosen by the

editors for Katherine Taylor (American writer and journalist, 1903-1996) in 1938 because it was taken by granting that it was not possible for a woman to write it. Published in 1939, in the end the book will have a lot of success in his reprint in 1995. This short story (90 p.) that uses epistolary style is a must to feel how this ideology grew up and to see the changing in the relationship with the Jews.

Extract from “Address Unknown”:

« Dear Old Max, You have heard of course of the new events in

Out Of The Borders

could now remove him from power, as he was truly forced to place him there. The man is like an electric shock, strong as only a great orator and a zealot can be. But I ask myself, is he quite sane? His brown shirt troops are of the rabble.

They pillage and have started a bad Jew-baiting.

But these may be minor things, the little surface scum when a big movement boils up.»

“Reunion” – Fred Uhlman

In this autobiographical story, Fred Uhlman (English writer and painter who was born in Germany, 1901-1985) is telling us the story of two young friends in Stuttgart. In 1932, Hans Schwarz and Conrad Graf von Hohenfels were in the same high school although they were entirely different: Hans was born into a bourgeois Jew family, simple and calm. Conrad grew up in a famous and wealthy family proud of the German nation. Hans admires Conrad since he saw him entering in the class for the first time. He would like to become his friend so tries to catch his attention by showing the best of him. Finally, the two boys will become friends but Hans’s Jewish roots could be still an obstacle for Conrad because of the Nazis. Can their friendship survive anyway to this troubling issue which is changing the German society? Even if the story seems pretty straightforward and short (90 pages), you can find a complex reflection about friendship in general. Fred Uhlman knows perfectly how to play with the suspense until the end to give the readers a unique impression.

“Reunion” by Fred Uhlman © OPEN LIBRARY

Germany, and you will want to know how it appears to us here on the inside. I tell you truly, Max, I think in many ways Hitler is good for Germany, but I am not sure. He is now the active head of the government. I doubt much that even Hindenburg

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Out Of The Borders books

Extract from “Reunion”:

« I saw Hohenfels in front of me, and he seemed

ration between him and the German population and most importantly, the Jews themselves. To analyse Eichmann, she used a philosophical theory about the “Banality of Evil”. Consequently, an important debate started and Hannah Arendt received a lot of international critics when she decided to collect all the articles and made a book, published in 1963. For his controversy and his unique vision of the Holocaust, “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil”, needs to be read!

to hesitate and to be waiting for somebody. I slowed down – I was afraid of overtaking him – but I had to go on, for it would have looked ridiculous not to and he might have misunderstood my hesitation. When I had almost reached him, he turned and smiled at me. Then, with a strangely gauche and still hesitant movement, he shook my trembling hand. ‘Hello, Hans,’ he said, and suddenly I realised to my joy and relief and amazement that he was as shy and as much in need of a friend as I.» Extract from “Eichmann in Jerusalem:

“Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil” – Hannah Arendt

For a different approach, we’ll talk now about an

essay. Hannah Arendt was a popular and famous philosopher (1906-1975) who has written about the concept of totalitarianism and the history of philosophy. In “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil”, Arendt explores, through the Eichmann’s trial, the exact role of the leaders during the annihilation of the Jews. Indeed, she was particularly interested in this topic and abandoned her researches to follow the trial of Adolf Eichmann. Eichmann was one of the most important leaders in the Nazi regime. He organised the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Jews to the concentration camps. After the war, he escaped the police and fled to Argentina where he lived peacefully for ten years.

After

years of investigation, the Mossad (Israeli secret service) kidnapped him in 1960 and brought him to trial in Jerusalem. Hannah Arendt was followed this and decided to propose her service to the New Yorker’s editor-in-chief for an article. He accepted, and Arendt went to Jerusalem to participate in the trial in 1961-1962.

In the end, she produced five articles which described Eichmann as an ordinary man without the ability to think by himself and mostly following orders. She is also mentioning the collabo-

44

A Report on the Banality of Evil”:

« Throughout the trial, Eichmann tried to clari-

fy, mostly without success, the point in his plea of his being “in the sense of the indictment, not guilty.” The indictment implied not only that he had acted on purpose, which he did not deny, but that he had acted out of base motives and in full knowledge of the criminal nature of his deeds.

As for the base motives, he was sure that

he was not what he called an inner Schweine-

hund—a dirty bastard in the depths of his heart— and as for his conscience, he recalled perfectly well that he would have had a bad conscience only if he had not done what he had been ordered to do—to ship millions of men, women, and children to their death with great zeal and most meticulous care. This last statement, admittedly, was hard to take. Half a dozen psychiatrists had certified Eichmann as “normal.” » Front cover art for the first edition of “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil”

by Hannah Arendt © Wikipedia

Food

Out Of The Borders

Different aspects of diets Vol.1 Personal beliefs

by Elena Fagogenit

This article will be an attempt to enlighten the most fundamental aspects of food habits,

in which products it is based on and the reasons that people chose to follow that diet and “give voice” to different opinions.

The difference doesn’t have to do only with na- The first one and more common, is the diet

tionality, gender, sexual preferences or religion but also diet. Our diet is an essential part of our everyday life and reflects our lifestyle and our culture, as the way that we prepare, season and cook our food, determines who we are and what we stand for. Even though we are what we eat, it seems to be not easily accepted by everyone as it should be. There are three categories that need to be mentioned: food habits based on personal beliefs, religion and health issues.

which is basically a diet without any restrictions.

Vegetables and fruits are also essential but meat is considered to be an essential ingredient, and it is usually consumed on a daily basis because it contains iron and proteins which are giving enough energy to be absorbed through the day. It is true that many people prefer this category because the taste of meat is familiar to them since it is very important ingredient in every country’s cuisine and it contains many proteins.

First category: the way we define our diet. As the subject of the diet is wide and has many subcategories, the three most common based on a person’s preferences are omnivorous, vegetarianism and veganism.

Next subcategory is vegetarianism which is a

© Oldways in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health and the WHO

diet focused on abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, and the flesh of any other animal). Consumption of any product apart from meat that comes from the animals, like dairy products is accepted. The reasons that people decide to follow this diet vary. The most important reason that people decide to stop eating meat is that they don’t want any animal to be killed considering they have the opportunity to eat something else.According to an article published at the vegetarian society site vegetarian. org, it has been proved that an average meat-eater during their lifetime is personally responsible for the slaughter of 5 cows, 20 pigs, 30 sheep, 760 chickens, 46 turkeys, 15 ducks, 7 rabbits, 1 1/2 geese and 1/2 tonne of fish so it’s easy to understand that leads them in that decision! Apart from that, another very important reason is the fact that it is considered to be a very healthy diet. Researches prove that the lack of meat

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Out Of The Borders Food

has as result a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease, lower blood pressure, lower rates of hypertension, lower overall cancer rates and lower risk of chronic disease. A vegetarian diet has many variations like the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, which includes both eggs and dairy products, the ovo-vegetarian diet which includes eggs but not dairy products, and a lacto-vegetarian diet which includes dairy products but not eggs. There is also the pescetarian diet where eating fish is accepted because it is the main source for some basic elements like omega-3.

Last but not least is veganism, which is the

animals.A good example which shows the benefits of a vegan diet to the environment is the fact that a plant-based diet requires only one-third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet.

In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe.This means that this land is used in order to feed animals instead of themselves which leads to world malnutrition since people have no place to crop for them.Also, research shows that animal agriculture is responsible for 51 percent of all greenhouse gas emission which is more gas emission than all forms of transportation combined!For the ones that are skeptical about the “risks” of a diet with no animal products let me tell you that recent researches proved that a well-planned vegan diet “appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecircle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and athletes” consequently there is no harm at the human organism at all.So don’t you think it’s time to reconsider it?

practice of abstaining from the consumption or use of animal products. Every vegan diet is based on vegetables, grains and other seeds, fruits, mushrooms and nuts.The most important part of this veganism is the fact that this kind of diet causes completely no harm to animals.

Actually a person who decides to become vegan is saving the life of two hundred animals per year! The reasons to become vegan are more or less same with vegetarians but in this case there That’s a small taste of different diets based on are also very positive results for the environment what we believe is good for us. Next step will be except from the positive impact on human and the religion category. Stay tuned...

© Oldways’ Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Pyramid

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© University of California

article

Mix Fix

Six facts about Salvador Dalí Surrealism and diversity personified

by Irene Cortés del Moral

Extravagant, different and crazy. These are the words most used when we speak about

Salvador Dalí (Figueras, Spain, 1904). Although he is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he also stands out for his controversial presence in the media. From interviews in Spain to competitions of television in the USA. Although much is known about his public life, you may be surprised to learn some curiosities about the Catalan genius.

caused a tremendous identity crisis in the painter, as it was very shocking to see his name written in a tomb. This disturbing thought was reflected in later years in his art. Dalí grew up with the idea that his brother’s soul lived attached to him. Even his parents came to tell him that he was the reincarnation of his brother.

2 He was expelled from the Faculty of Fine Arts

When he went to his final exam of Fine Arts and

Salvador Dalí screaming

1

© Weegee, Arthur Fellig (1950)

e believed that his brother had H reincarnated in him

the professors told him to choose a period of art history and tell everything he knew. Dalí flatly refused. He said to them that he knew much more than the professors and that they were not worthy to listen to him. This was enough reason to expel him forever. He had been a problem student for five years and usually missed class.

3 Two people inspire his moustache

The artist’s brother was also called Salvador The star feature of Salvador is inspired by two

Dalí. He died at the age of three years from a famous Spanish characters with a long mousstomach infection. His parents used to take him tache. On the one hand, in Josep Margarit: a to the cemetery to visit his brother’s grave. This Catalan soldier and politician. His portrait was

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Mix Fix article

Dalí posing with flowers

© Unknown

Clip from the short Destino

5

© Destino, a film from 2003

hanging in the house of Dalí’s father. On the othHe made a film with Walt Disney er side, the famous painter Diego Velázquez.

Salvador admired this Andalusian artist a lot. Of In 1946 the American filmmaker offered Dalí to course, the father of surrealism took the dimen- create an animated short film together. Although sions of the moustache to the extreme. the project was launched, they only made 20 seconds of film. However, in 2003 Walt’s nephew, Dalí designed the “Chupa Chups” Ron Disney, decided to resume the work begun logo with the drawings and sketches of Salvador Dalí and the short film Destiny was finished.

In 1969 the candy brand wanted to expand its business to a more international level. They ofSalvador Dalí died listening to his fered Dalí an incredible amount of money to favourite album carry out the graphics project. An hour later the artist had already created the logo for the “Chu- On January 23, 1989, Dalí died in his native pa Chups” wrapper. The red letters on a yellow Figueras at the age of 84 years. When he died of background and the flower shape were crucial respiratory cardiac arrest in his home, the artist to attract attention and achieve the commercial was listening to his favourite album: Tristan and objectives of the Catalan candy brand.

Isolde, by Richard Wagner.

4

6

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Mix Fix

Advice for Thessaloniki

Discover the favourite things of the locals of Thessaloniki by Agnieszka Trygar

You are new in Thessaloniki? looking for a place for a coffee, something to eat or an idea to

spend your free time? Especially for you, we have advice from people who spent a few years or a lifetime in this city. Do not waste time and check by yourself.

My favourite place to eat is...?

In Thessaloniki you have to visit...?

I don’t have a specific favour- Valaouritou and Ladadika, beFiliw Mazaraki , 22 years in Thessaloniki © Filiw Mazaraki

ite place to eat, because there cause they have the best nightare many perfect places with life. delicious food.

My favourite place for coffee is...?

My favourite spot in the city is...?

In Thessaloniki everyone must...?

Harry Spot, because you have The White Tower, especially in ...be calm and not anxious, bemany board games to play. summer. cause it’s the city of the relaxation with slow rythmes.

My favourite place to eat is...?

In Thessaloniki you have to visit...?

Elephant in the room (vegan The

Viki Nika, 6 years in Thessaloniki © Viki Nika

White Tower and appreplace). As a vegetarian with a ciate the breathtaking view of vegan sister we do visit mostly Thessaloniki from above. vegan restaurants/food places and you should try at least once even if your not “one of us”(kidding) because you will find delicious food there.

My favourite place for coffee is...?

My favourite spot in the city is...?

In Thessaloniki everyone must...?

Little big house. Ι like this place The Castra in the upper city.

...try “bougatsa”, “gyros” and must visit “ladadika” to feel the greek vibes.

beacause it’s cozy, friendly staff and feels like home somehow.

Oh, forgot to mention the carrot cake! You should definitely try it!

49

Mix Fix article

My favourite place to eat is...?

Elena Fagogeni, 5 years in Thessaloniki © Elena Fagogeni

My favourite place for coffee is...?

In Thessaloniki you have to visit...?

Ouzou melathron at city cen- Nea paralia,have a walk with ter because the have very good friends and then drink a beer at quality of food... white tower looking at the sea and the strangers...

My favourite spot in the city is...?

In Thessaloniki everyone must...?

…at Agios Paulos called To Kti- The Port in the early hours,when ...fall deeply in love. Emotions

ma because it has a nice view of the city and my mind is completely relaxed...I take usually and a book and go to read there..

city wakes up..at that time seem to be way stronger than nobody is there and the only any other place of greece... sounds are the sea the gulls and some cars passing the road.

My favourite place to eat is...?

In Thessaloniki you have to visit...?

Cati apo ola, a taverna with Ano poli, Kastra and Eptapyr-

Christian Cibba,3 years in Thessaloniki © Christian Cibba

very good food, good prices, gio…but during summer (οr late no touristic at all in the east spring even better) go to Halkpart of the city. idiki!

My favourite place for coffee is...?

My favourite spot in the city is...?

In Thessaloniki everyone must...?

Mikri Frida coffee and art co- The seaside, especially during ...discover

its underground operative, cozy place in front of the sunset, great colors and spots, doesn’t matter your interthe oldest of the city’s surviving people spending their time in a ests, you will find what you like, churches, good coffee, smoking relaxed way. but you need to search. free.

My favourite place to eat is...?

In Thessaloniki you have to visit...?

Hot Dog King because it com- The

Nikos Siropoulos, 25 years in Thessaloniki © Nikos Siropoulosv

My favourite place for coffee is...?

White Tower. What was bines good quality, cheap pric- once a prison now is one of the es and it is open 24/7! city’s biggest monuments.

My favourite spot in the city is...?

Game Inn because its cozy and The

In Thessaloniki everyone must...?

Port because its both ...be chill and relax. Thessaloniit combines good coffee with a romantic and gathers young ki is a city that encourages you variety of board games. people. to relax, take a walk and drink a cup of coffee.

50

poetry

Mix Fix

Chinatown

by Daniel Veloso

Ethereal passage Lost landscape When leaves also return Eternal, tacit cycle No hands can feel their wrist No required visas neither tight deadlines nor robotic departments

But new items are arriving Few people already in a rush to arrange it Thin touch, meager words, many shops

Distance in the face, distance in the body

How many leaves between Zeus and Tian?

51

Mix Fix poetry

Love and War

by Mohamed Al-Makni

She asks me, with her eyes still filled with tears… who am I?

Your lover? Your friend?

Do you still love me?

Where are your pens?

yesterday?

forget you!”

Is it possible for pens and words to die?

She takes absentmindly a drag from her cigarette, Why do you not answer?

And goes back to ask me, Where will you escape to?

Why don’t you dance with me?

Will you go to your death from death without me?

Why don’t you kiss me?

And will you cross that cruel sea without me?

Why are you completely out of character today?

And stay in a shabby tent?

And without talking to her, And wear ragged clothes?

I wiped the tears from her eyes, You? And she goes back to ask me, You are the kind that sits on the throne of this heart Do you remember our first kiss? that sits in between my rib cage.

Do you remember my trembling hands?

She lights another cigarette, and she drinks another Do you still like the smell of my perfume? glass on top of her already drunken state, As she sinks into my chest, And gets lost in my embrace yet again, I feel the beating of her tender heart, She brushes her fingers through my hair, She rests on my shoulder for several minutes, And tearfully asks me, Then arises from her slumber and asks me…

Will you remember me?

Did you ever imagine, a day would come where we At this moment, my eyes were doing the speaking, wouldn’t see each other every day?

And my body was screaming, And did you ever imagine a day would come where And my tongue was in a state of hopeless silence, we would go our separate ways?

I was much stronger than her, I am the one that is infatuated by the air that mixes A started walking away with confident strides, with your breath.

Without looking back, She is looking for answers.

So she wouldn’t see the tears in my eyes, She repeats stresses that she was so much stronger before this moment, I felt her, And before she forgets, she goes back to asking me, She was still standing still, looking at me, Where have your words gone?

Waiting for my answer, Where are your letters?

And before I was able to complete tens of steps, Did the weapons of war kill them?

I screamed loudly, And where are the words you wrote to me just “You and this land – as long as I am alive, I will never

52

‫‪Mix Fix‬‬

‫‪poetry‬‬

‫حب وحرب‬ ‫محمد املكني‬

‫_ تسألني وال يزال الدمع بني جفنيها ‪....‬من انا ؟‬ ‫واين ما كتبته يل البارحة ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫حبيبتك ‪ ..‬؟ صديقتك ‪..‬؟‬ ‫اين اقالمك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫اال تزال تحبني ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫وهل متوت االقالم والكلامت ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫وتغيب يف دخان سجائرها ‪ ...‬وتعود لتسألني ‪...‬‬ ‫ملاذا ال تجب ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫ملاذا ال ت راقصني ‪ ...‬؟‬ ‫اىل اين تهرب ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫ملاذا ال تقبلني ‪ ...‬؟‬ ‫هل ستهرب من املوت اىل املوت بدوين ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫ملاذا انت اليوم مختلف بكل تفاصيلك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫وهل ستعرب ذلك البحر املشؤوم بدوين ؟‬ ‫ودون أن احدثها ‪ ...‬انشف دمع عينيها ‪ ...‬فتعود‬ ‫وتجلس يف خيمة متواضعة ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫تسألني ‪...‬‬ ‫وتلبس ثياب رثة ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫أتذكر القبلة االوىل ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫انت ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫أتذكر يداي املرتجفة حينها ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫انت امللك الذي يعتيل عرش هذا القلب بني‬ ‫ورائحة عطري ‪ ...‬اال تزال تعجبك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫اضلعي ‪...‬‬ ‫تغوص بني أحضاين ‪ ...‬أشعر بنبضات قلبها‬ ‫_ تشعل لفافة أخرى ‪ ...‬وترشب كأس ما بعد‬ ‫املرهف ‪...‬‬ ‫السكر ‪...‬وتغيب يف حضني مجددا ً ‪ ...‬مترر أصابعها‬ ‫يف شعري وبدمعها ‪ ...‬تسألني ‪...‬‬ ‫تغفو عىل كتفي ‪ ...‬بضع دقائق ‪ ...‬بعدها تصحو‬ ‫وتسألني ‪...‬‬ ‫هل ستذكرين ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫أيعقل أن ال اراك كل يوم ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫_ يف حينها ‪ ...‬كانت عيناي تتحدث ‪ ...‬وجسدي‬ ‫يرصخ ‪ ...‬ولساين يف نوبة صمت يائسة ‪...‬‬ ‫وهل سنفرتق ذات يوم ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫كنت أقوى منها بكثري ‪ ...‬بدأت بخطوات واثقة ‪...‬‬ ‫وانا الذي يعشق الهواء املمزوج بأنفاسك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫مل التفت خلفي ‪ ...‬حتى ال ترى الدمع يف عيني‬ ‫_ تبحث عن إجابات ‪ ...‬وتطلق الوعود ‪ ...‬بأنها ‪ ...‬أشعر بها ‪ ...‬ال تزال واقفة وتنظر ايل ‪ ...‬تنتظر‬ ‫اقوى مام عليه اآلن ‪...‬‬ ‫مني الرد ‪...‬‬ ‫وقبل أن تنىس عادت لتسألني ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫وما أن ابتعدت عنها ع رشات الخطا ‪...‬‬ ‫اين هربت كلامتك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫حتى رصخت عالي اً ‪...‬‬ ‫اين هي احرفك ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫انتي وهذه األرض …‬ ‫هل قتلتها آلة الحرب ‪ ..‬؟‬ ‫لن انساكم ما حييت …‬

‫‪53‬‬

Mix Fix comics

Fake News

by Kim Ferreira aka. Thecomeedian, from the Chill Out Experiment

54

recipe

Mix Fix

The tastiest apple crumble in the world

(or so they say)

by Sacha Bogaers

If you like crumble or apple pie, then you should try this recipe: the tastiest apple crumble in the world! The crumble is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, and salty. Serve with vanilla sauce, whipped cream, or ice cream, and enjoy!

I have made this crumble on many occasions, • A pinch of salt for dates, Christmas parties, or just to impress my housemates. It is always a success, so I • Butter for the cake tin/baking mould think it is about time to share the happiness that Crumble it brings to others. Let’s make the world a better • 125g cold butter (real butter is best, but it also place, one crumble at a time. works with margarine!)

This recipe is my own adaptation from a Swed- • 2 dl/120g flour

ish recipe, which can be found here: https:// www.ica.se/recept/varldens-godaste-appelsmulpaj-714125/. The recipe is for apple crumble but can also very easily be adapted to use with other fruits. Especially with berries it is very nice but use your creativity and experiment!

Ingredients (for 6 portions)

• 1 dl / 35g oats • 1 ½ dl / 150g sugar • 1 ½ tea spoon sea salt flakes (if you use regu-

lar salt, use less!! Important, or your cake will be too salty. So just use a pinch)

Instructions

Filling Pre-heat the oven at 225 degrees.

• About 800g apples • 1 tea spoon cinnamon (or more if you like cin- Peel the apples, remove the core and cut them

in small pieces (I usually cut them in slices, it makes it easier to spread them out). Mix the apples with cinnamon, sugar and a pinch of salt in a low cake tin or silicone mould. If you want, you can add some butter or oil to the tin so your cake will not stick, but usually it is okay also without this. The recipe uses a round form of around 28cm, but it’s not super important, as long as you have enough space.

namon)

• 2 tea spoons sugar

Crumble: cut the butter into pieces. Knead the Mmm… crumble!

© Sacha Bogaers

butter, the flour and the oats together to a crumbly mass. Add the sugar and salt.

55

Agnieszka Trygar | 25 years old

Arianna Salan | 28 years old

Staying in Greece for 10 months until August 2019

Staying in Greece for 10 months until July 2019

Favourite topics are culture, food and economics

Favourite topics are migrations, social justice and sustainability

Eglė Puodžiūnaitė | 28 years old

André Cruz | 25 years old

Staying in Greece for 1 year, until February 2019

Staying in Greece for 10 months until October 2019

Favorite topics are travel, culture and eco life

Favourite topics are humankind development and artistic expressions

Irene Cortés del Moral | 22 years old

Marleen Müts | 22 years old

Staying in Greece for 10 months until July 2019

Staying in Greece for 10 months until July 2019

Favourite topics are travel, LGTBQI+, meet people’s stories, culture

Favourite topics are healthy lifestyle, sustainability and culture

Francesco Cirica | 28 years old

Martin Naništa | 27 years old

Staying in Greece for 10 months until November 2019

Favourite topics are sport, culture, cuisine

Favourite topics are Cinema, Art and Literature

Sacha Bogaers | 23 years old

Umberto Zeverini | 24 years old

Staying in Greece for 10 months, until June

Staying in Greece for 10 months until July 2019

Favorite topics are human rights, activism and art.

Favourite topics are culture, travel, art, sports

Wali Benia | 24 years old Staying in Greece for 6 months until April 2019

Favourite topics are culture (literature, cinema, music), sports and street culture

General Directors: Editors: Aristodimos Paraschou André Cruz Christian Cibba Marleen Müts Graphic Designer: Alexandros Tagaridis Find us: www.balkanhotspot.org Usb_ngo.gr

Guests

Staying in Greece for 10 months until July 2019

Arno Doepper

Daniel Veloso

Ellyze Francisco

Kim Ferreira

The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European ERASMUS+ Programme, European Voluntary Service. This project has been funded with support from the European Commision. This publication [communication] reflects the views of only of the author, and the Commision can not be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.