NOW!!
Alternativen zur Europäischen Flüchtlingspolitik
Project news
What is the project about?
The Objective
It is our objective to devise a pan-European concept for the refugee issue that will find ways and means to avert a humanitarian disaster and eliminate its causes. This concept, which must be based on the humanitarian and democratic values cherished by the European Union, is to be addressed to national, European and international politicians.
The Format
The initiative NOW will start elaborating alternative strategies for Europe’s refugee policy during a two-day conference of mayors from the most intensely affected countries in the Middle East and Europe. During this conference, experts, helpers and refugees will address relevant issues, and at the end of this conference, the “Traiskirchen Declaration“ will be made public at a joint press conference.
In the following weeks, experts, helpers and political decision-makers will attend a series of seminars in order to probe the relevant questions and work out potential solutions in the form of guidance for action by politicians.
NOW is a private initiative supported and financed by individuals representing civil society.
Project changes (22.12.2015)
Update: The conference will not take place in Traiskirchen but in Vienna! Hence, the VIENNA DECLARATION will be presented at the final press conference. For more information see "News"
What happens with the money if financing was successful
Thousands of people are drowning in the Mediterranean, thousands are stranded near the southern borders of Europe – in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Iraq, and some South-Eastern European countries have received tens or hundreds of thousands of people. A large number of volunteers showing incredible commitment are supporting the work of the relief organizations and the police at border crossings between Austria and Hungary, and at train stations across Austria as well as at the Austrian Asylum Centre in Traiskirchen.
It is the objective of this conference to bring politics closer to the realities of human beings and to offer alternatives to the current regulations of Europe’s refugee policies. It will highlight the causes of refugee and migration movements: a low level of development, post-colonial exploitation, armed conflicts. And it will address the question as to whether a Marshall Plan could mitigate migration pressure and turn failed states into functioning ones. Although it will not be easier in the future to put an end to heated conflicts than it is today, would it not be possible and necessary nevertheless either to pursue a forward-looking policy of conflict avoidance?
The Mayors‘ Conference
Andreas Babler, the Mayor of Traiskirchen, invites Mayors and Experts to the Conference to be held in Traiskirchen/Semperithalle on January 21st and 22nd, 2016.
Organized by the Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue, Vienna office, and the working party NOW!! (*).
The Mayor of Traiskirchen, assisted by the working party NOW – a civil society initiative – invites mayors and experts to this conference in Traiskirchen, where he, together with his colleagues from the Middle East, South and Central Europe, experts and refugees, humanitarian organisations and European thinkers, will examine questions and seek to devise strategies for a European refugee policy.
Final Press Conference:
TRAISKIRCHEN DECLARATION
What needs to be done?
In mid-2016 Austria will chair the Mediterranean Dialogue of the OSCE.
The Traiskirchen Declaration is to be presented to the Austrian Federal Government as a working guideline.
This project will be documented on film by Jakob Brossmann and David Paede/finali film & wortschatz in produktion <link www.finali.at/>http://www.finali.at/</link> and constitutes part of the communication concept.
A civil society and relief organization campus supported by Respekt.net will illustrate the diversity of solidarity-based aid.
(*) NOW!! is a civil society initiative in which the following personalities will participate:
Auer Borea d’Olmo Gertraud, Babler Andreas, Brossmann Jakob, Heller André, Kahane Patricia, Kothe Sonja, Luftensteiner Nathalie, Milborn Corinna, Misik Robert, Müllner Michael, Paede David, Raheb Viola, Sonderegger Philipp, Stocker Kurt, Swoboda Hannes, Zuckermann Elke
Traiskirchen is a town in Lower Austria, located some 20 km. south of Vienna.
For many decades, it has had a refugee camp. In 1992 this was renamed Traiskirchen Centre and since then has acted as an initial reception point for refugees.
Update der Konferenz - Änderung Konferenzort
Patricia Kahane und André Heller laden zur internationalen Bürgermeister-Konferenz NOW in Wien. Während der zweitägigen Konferenz suchen BürgermeisterInnen, ExpertInnen, VertreterInnen der Zivilgesellschaft und Flüchtlinge aus betroffenen Regionen nach Mitteln und Wegen für eine subtile, verantwortungsvolle und um wohl ausgewogene Lösungen ringende Flüchtlingspolitik.
Die Ergebnisse werden in der „WIENER ERKLÄRUNG“ festgehalten. Basierend auf den Werten von Demokratie und Menschenrechten richtet sich diese Erklärung an nationale, europäische und internationale Politiken mit konkreten Handlungsanleitungen.
Mit einer zweitätigen Konferenz von BürgermeisterInnen aus den am schwersten betroffenen Ländern des Nahen Ostens und Europas, die gemeinsam mit ExpertInnen, Aktivistinnen und Flüchtlingen die relevanten Fragen stellen, wird die Initiative NOW!! die Ausarbeitung von alternativen Strategien in der europäischen Flüchtlingspolitik beginnen. Am Ende dieser Tagung wird in einer gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz die „Wiener Erklärung“ veröffentlicht.
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